Operation: POWERPUFFTWO
by Cyber Commander
Summary: The stunning conclusion! Please R&R!
1. Birthday Wishes

_Hello everyone, Cyber Commander here._

_Long-time readers might remember my fanfic "Operation: P.O.W.E.R.P.U.F.F.", a story that many thought of as the crossover to end all crossovers – a true example of "when worlds collide"._

_Well, since the first one went over so well, I thought I'd make a sequel._

_First, the important stuff. I do not own the rights to "The Powerpuff Girls" or "Codename: Kids Next Door". _

_Second, the events of this story take place after "Operation S.N.O.W.I.N.G." How long after, it's hard to tell. I'm not certain when new episodes will be shown._

_So sit back, and enjoy!_

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**NOW LOADING:**

**kids next door mission:**

**Operation: P.O.W.E.R.P.U.F.F.-T.W.O.**

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**P**ractitioner

**O**f

**W**izardry

**E**nacts

**R**aw

**P**ower

**U**nexpectedly

**F**iendishly

**F**orming

**T**erribly

**W**icked

**O**pposition

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**CHAPTER ONE**

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**Birthday Wishes**

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In recent years, fate has proved a rascal…

Cabals of evil masterminds have dedicated themselves to making life miserable for the very people they should be protecting – the world's children! Adult tyranny has grown to diabolical levels. If not stopped, the bliss of youth could vanish and be replaced by agony beyond belief.

Most children are blind to this sinister scheme – but not all. There exists hope, for one secretive group of children are fighting back…

Situated around the world at strategic locations, run from a fortress built on the Earth's natural satellite (better known as the moon), the organization known as the Kids Next Door stand as the world's line of defense between the tyranny of adults and the innocence of children. Armed with amazing technology cobbled together from makeshift supplies, these warriors stand ready to combat any adult-related menace that dares rear its ugly head…

But it won't be easy, for enemies lurk in every shadow. Creatures with superhuman powers, most of them adults, some of them teenagers, some of them traitorous children themselves, stand ready to oppose the Kids Next Door. All operatives know that the war will be long-fought, and that they might be adults themselves before it is won. But if the Kids Next Door persevere, they can take comfort in knowing that someday, the future members of their organization will achieve victory, and children will be able to rest easily in their beds.

And of late, the Kids Next Door have obtained a powerful weapon in their struggle…

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In the dirty town of Cityville, on top of a skyscraper in a secret laboratory, a man in a white business suit wearing dark glasses was examining a set of beakers and test tubes. Computer monitors flickered behind him.

"Heh, heh," chuckled Mr. Fizz, lifting a test tube. "So, those brats wanted soda, did they? Far be it from me not to let them have it!"

He looked at the concoction.

"Well, _this _brand of soda will be the perfect behavioral control! Once they drink it…

"They'll practically be slaves…"

Then an alarm went off on the wall.

"WARNING!" it shouted. "WARNING!"

"Que?" he said. "Oy, Caramba! I should have known those Kids Next Door would try to crash into here! Well, let them come!"

He hit a button on the desk, and a series of mechanical arms sprang into view! His cybernetic soda-keg armor quickly fitted around his limbs, torso and head!

As a form crashed through the ceiling, he aimed and opened fire!

"Eat hot root beer, you brats!" he shouted.

A barrage of the foamy liquid sprayed towards the spot.

He paused to see if he had hit his target…

The dust cleared…

And then a blast of energy struck him in the chest, propelling him backwards!

A young girl floated into view. She wore a pink dress, and a bow in her long, red hair. A look of anger was in her large, pink eyes…

"Blossom of the Powerpuff Girls?" shouted Fizz, in surprise.

"That's Numbuh 51 to you, Fizz!" snapped Blossom. "Did you think we'd actually let you get away with making mind-controlling soda pop?"

"I didn't intend on asking permission!" shouted Fizz.

He got up and shot two blasts at Blossom, but she deftly avoided them. He shot again, but she was too quick.

"Stand still!" he cursed.

Fizz was so angry, he didn't see two other forms crawl into the window behind him. Numbuhs 218 and 65 (aka Bubbles and Buttercup, respectively), made their way to his computer terminal.

They opened his drawer.

"Eep!" squeaked Bubbles. "His files are on floppies! Which one do we take?"

"Bubbles," sighed Buttercup, "when in doubt, take everything!"

She dumped the disks into a bag.

"Now to take care of his hard drive," continued Buttercup.

"Got it!" said Bubbles with a smile.

Her eyes glowed, and a blast of heat vision destroyed the computer.

"WHAT?" shouted Fizz, turning around. "NO!"

"Time to amscray, Girls!" laughed Blossom.

Bubbles grabbed a can of soda from the table and shook it vigorously.

"Here Fizz," she chuckled, "have one on me!"

She aimed and popped the can open, spraying soda in the mad soft drink baron's face!

The three Girls laughed and flew through the ceiling.

"Piece of cake!" laughed Buttercup, as they started to fly through the concrete canyons of Cityville. "That Fizz should lay of the caffeine – it's making him edgy!"

And then a powerful blast of brown liquid shot over their heads!

"You're telling me!" gasped Blossom, looking back.

Apparently, Fizz was not about to give up. He was pursuing them in a small helicopter armed with strange cannons on its underside.

He shouted into a microphone.

"Give back those floppies you pixie-colored brats!" he yelled.

A blast of root beer shot out of one of the cannons, and they narrowly avoided it.

"Yeek!" cried Bubbles. "We're being attacked by soda, and it isn't diet or caffeine-free!"

They tried to maneuver around the buildings, but Fizz was still in pursuit. They never imagined him to be such a pilot!

"Okay, enough!" shouted Blossom, hitting a button on her watch.

She shouted into it.

"Snowball! We need backup here!"

As the Girls sped across the bay, Fizz gleefully locked on his targeting computer…

"I'll blast you out of the sky, Power Punks…" he snarled.

Then he heard the sounds of another helicopter behind him…

"Que?" he said looking behind him.

The craft behind was twice as big as his, with the sleek shape of a military helicopter, despite clearly being made from 2x4 craftsmanship. Its cockpit was shaped like a lion's head, and it had mechanical claws on its underside!

**(Kids Next Door C.H.I.M.E.R.A.: Computerized Helicopter Imitating Mythological Entity Rapidly Accelerates)**

Behind the wheel was a strange creature. She seemed to be a cross between a young woman and a cat, with white fur covering her body and long blonde hair coming down from her feline head.

At first glance, one would think that the mutant cat known as Numbuh 99 (or Snowball, as her friends called her), was far too old to be a member of the Kids Next Door, but in truth, she was only four years old in human years. True, in cat years that made her twenty-eight, but the requirements for Kids Next Door membership only took calendar years into consideration.

And she loved her job.

"Hey Fizz!" she shouted. "You should really cut down on the sugar! It's making you hyperactive!"

She pulled a switch, and the C.H.I.M.E.R.A.'s jaws opened, exhaling a gout of flames! Fizz's helicopter was engulfed in them!

Fizz screamed as his craft crashed into the bay.

"Well, team," said Blossom, "another mission accomplished, and another jerk's scheme foiled."

"Yup," said Buttercup. "Well, let's get back and get the paperwork done…"

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Two days later…

Mr. Fizz sadly trudged down a street in another city. His arm was in a sling, and his neck was in a brace. He was in a very bad mood – but who wouldn't be if a plan that had cost an exorbitant about of money and resources had just gone up in smoke?

He walked up to a nondescript door and knocked.

A slot opened and two eyes peered out.

"What's the password?" said a voice.

"Craig sent me," he answered.

The slot closed, and the door unlocked.

It opened, and Fizz walked into the common room of a large, elegant bar. This place was known as the Bar With No Name, and it catered to a very specific clientele…

Super Villains.

And lately, it had become the place for such folk to drown their sorrows. Times had been tough lately…

He saw Knightbrace in a corner, still nursing the black eye he had from three days ago. Mega Mom and Destructo Dad were at a table, and apparently they had yet to repair their armor, because they had come without it.

Fizz went up to the bar.

"Root beer with a slice of lemon," he said to the bartender.

"Good grief, Fizz," said a voice next to him, "what happened to you?"

He turned and saw Mr. Boss there.

"Give you one guess," answered Fizz.

"The Kids Next Door?" he asked.

"Worse," said Fizz. "The Powerpuff Kids Next Door."

Everyone in the bar acknowledged this with a groan.

"I hear ya," said Mr. Boss, lighting his cigar. "Those candy-coated fairies are making it harder these days…"

"Ya got that right, landlubber!" cursed Stickybeard, getting up. "With them on my case, I've been lucky ta steal enough candy ta power me ship's engines!"

"Hsst…" purred the Cat Lady. "That Snowball gives cats a bad name!"

"Settle down everybody," announced Mr. Boss. "My latest scheme is going to put those Kids Next Door on ice pretty soon anyway, so we won't have to worry about any of them, including the Powerpuff Girls."

"You will fail!" said a voice.

They all looked up, and saw a teenage girl in black Ninja armor sitting among the rafters.

"Humph," said Mr. Boss in disgust. "If it isn't Father's pet assassin. What do you want Cree? You never came in here before…"

"I just felt like coming to hear about how you all made fools of yourselves," purred Cree, "and how you're going to do it again. Whatever you're planning, Mr. B, the Kids Next Door will wipe it out without breaking a sweat. They take all of you down every time!"

"You should talk," said Mr. Boss, angrily. "Your record against them isn't any better!"

Cree looked at him, clearly offended.

"I stole the Code Module, didn't I?" she asked.

"Oh yeah, that," said Mr. Boss, with a chuckle. "All part of Father's master plan, which would have worked if he hadn't been outsmarted by Numbuh Two's little brother!"

Everyone in the bar laughed.

"Frankly, Cree," he continued, "our respect for Father kind of went down a notch after that…"

"Well," said Cree, angrily, "it just so happens that I'm going to do you all a favor…"

She paused.

"…and do away with the thorns in your sides. I'm going to eradicate the Powerpuff Girls, once and for all!"

"And how are you going to do _that?"_ asked Mr. Wink.

"Do you have some sort of anti-Chemical-X weapon?" asked Mr. Fibb.

Cree jumped down onto the floor.

"I'll keep the 'how' to myself," she said. "But in two days, it's their birthday, and the day after that, I'm throwing them a little party, which will be their last!"

She chuckled, and headed for the door.

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An hour later, Cree (now dressed in her civilian clothes), was at the lower class part of the city.

She waited in an alley. She didn't like being here, but at the first sign of trouble, her Battle Ready Armor could be activated and give anyone who wanted trouble quite a surprise.

She didn't tell the villains in the Bar With No Name, but her plan was being done without Father's consent. She was acting alone on this endeavor. But once it was done, she'd be a hero among the villain community. An oxymoron, yes, but a nice one.

A man who looked like an old vagrant pushing a shopping cart covered with a cloth approached.

"It's about time," she said. "You have the item?"

"Depends," said the man. "Do you have the cash?"

Cree took a wad of bills out of her pocket.

"This stuff better do what it's supposed to do," she warned, handing it to him. "I had to demean myself babysitting a lot of brats to earn this money."

"Oh, it will," said the man.

He took the cloth off the cart. A tank fitted with straps and equipped with a hose and nozzle was there.

"Happy hunting…" he said.

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The City of Townsville!

The Powerpuff Girls had made a lot of changes to their routine since becoming KND operatives. Numbuh 362 had allowed them to continue their role as protectors of the city – on one condition. They would do it on _their _terms. Being at the beck and call of others was not allowed anymore. Still, they were much more sociable with adults than most operatives.

And their new headquarters helped a great deal. The Sector P Treehouse was built in the backyard of Professor Utonium's suburban home, and they had to thank him for his help in designing it. Having a father who was a genius had benefits.

Right now, they were in their headquarters, watching television…

And a slight problem appeared below them. A soggy and waterlogged villain who apparently never knew when he was in over his head…

"Powerpuff Girls!" shouted the Toilenator. "Prepare to be flushed by the mighty… Terma-Toilenator!"

"Ho-boy…" sighed Blossom.

"You take care of it…" groaned Buttercup. "You're the closest."

The Toilenator threw his arms forward, and his reams of toilet paper shot forward, securing themselves around a branch. He chuckled and began to climb up.

When he was halfway up, Blossom came out of a door. She looked down at him…

She held out a pair of scissors…

"What? NO!" he shouted.

SNIP! SNIP!

He fell to the ground with a crash.

Blossom went back inside.

"Now let's see if he's smart enough to stay down," she mused.

A flashing light lit up on a console.

"Apparently not…" said Buttercup.

Toilenator started to climb the opposite wall, using plungers as grips.

"Stupid brats…" he growled. "I'll show them…"

A compartment opened, and Bubbles stuck her head out.

"Happy birthday, Mr. Super Villain!" she said, handing him a gift.

"Ooh, thank you!" he said, as she went back inside.

Bubbles floated back in, and sat back down on the couch.

"Bubbles," said Blossom, "you don't think he's actually stupid enough to open that package?"

They all heard a loud explosion coming from outside, followed by a scream.

"Apparently, yes," sighed Buttercup. "He _is _that stupid."

Fifteen minutes later, Blossom spoke up.

"Maybe he had the sense to leave this time," she suggested.

Then they heard a bubbling noise coming from their bathroom.

"I forgot," she moaned. "That guy doesn't have any sense…"

"My turn…" sighed Buttercup.

She flew into the bathroom and looked at the toilet. Clearly he was trying to come in through there.

She picked up a bottle of something that said, "Ajax Triple Extra Strength Clog Remover."

The warning on the bottle said, "Do not even _think _about leaving within reach of children."

"Good advice," chuckled Buttercup. She opened the bottle and dumped the contents into the toilet.

There was a long silence, and then a scream, as the villain broke surface!

"ARGH!" he shouted. "It burns! It burns!"

Buttercup grabbed a plunger.

"You come back," she said, forcing him down, "and you're gonna get more of the same!"

She hit the handle, and he was flushed down the drain.

"I don't think he's coming back…" she sighed, walking into the common room.

The elevator dinged, and Snowball walked out.

"What did I miss?" she asked.

"Don't ask," moaned Blossom.

Then a voice came from their mainframe computer.

"INCOMING MESSAGE," it said. "INCOMING MESSAGE."

The four members of Sector P ran to the screen, and Blossom turned it on.

Five familiar faces appeared.

"Numbuh One!" laughed Bubbles.

"Hi girls," said Numbuh One, "thought we'd check in. Anything interesting happen since the fiasco with Fizz?"

"Not much," sighed Blossom. "Just a little trouble with the Toilenator."

"Toilenator?" laughed Numbuh Four. "Oh, he is the biggest _loser _we ever had the pleasure of butt-whooping!"

"That's for sure," said Numbuh Two. "I don't know where he was when brains were passed out…"

"Yeah," said Numbuh Five, with a smile. "Did Numbuh Five ever tell you guys that he once let Numbuh One into the villains' secret lair when his only disguise was a t-shirt with the words 'I am not Numbuh One' written on it?"

"Seriously?" laughed Bubbles.

"Yeah," chuckled Numbuh One. "Easiest infiltration mission I ever had."

"Look guys," mentioned Blossom, "we're glad you called. The Professor is throwing us a birthday party tomorrow, and we'd love for you to come…"

"Um, it's your birthday?" asked Numbuh One.

"Uh huh!" said Bubbles with a grin.

"Well, we'll see if we can come," said Numbuh One with a sigh. "But we have to sign off for now… We… have a mission of our own to prepare for…"

"Well, okay…" said Blossom with a shrug.

As soon as the transmission ended, Numbuh One turned to his teammates.

"Listen up team!" he said, "we have a lot of work to do!"

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In the past, birthdays for Townsville's three resident heroines had been spectacular events.

However, after past instances of party crashers and booby-trapped presents, this year, the Girls had requested a smaller party, with just a few friends and a modest amount of funfair.

Of course, for them, even a small party was relatively large. They had a lot a friends, and the Professor was never one to skimp on a party. Still they were a little disappointed. The five members of Sector V didn't show up…

…or so they thought.

As their party was going on, a small group had snuck into their Treehouse, and were busy with something special…

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At around five PM, the Powerpuff Girls floated towards their Treehouse (Buttercup was carrying Snowball – she couldn't fly on her own, but fortunately she wasn't very heavy for someone who could carry a house.)

"You'd think they would have come," complained Buttercup. "I mean, we were only with them when we saved Global Command from destruction…"

"I know," sighed Bubbles. "And we asked so nicely…"

"Come on, guys," said Blossom, "you know an operative has to be ready to jump to his or her feet on a moment's notice. They must have had a mission to go on and fight adult tyranny…"

They entered their hanger and went towards the common room.

Inside it was pitch black.

"Who shut all the lights out?" asked Snowball.

A switch was thrown, and the lights came on.

"SURPRISE!" yelled five voices.

The three Girls gaped. Their common room was done up with decorations, and a huge cake had been set up on the table.

Surrounding it were the smiling faces of Sector V.

"You came!" exclaimed Bubbles.

"Affirmative, Numbuh 218," said Numbuh One. "We're sorry we didn't come to your normal party, but we needed to prepare…"

"We had to give you a proper Kids Next Door birthday party!" exclaimed Numbah Two.

"Huh?" asked Buttercup.

"See," said Numbuh Five, "for an operative, birthdays aren't exactly the best days of the year – they bring you one step closer to bein' an adult. So it's tradition for fellow operatives ta make them as happy as possible!"

"So make a wish!" laughed Numbuh Three, pointing to the cake. "And we'll do our best to make it come true!"

"A wish, huh?" said Blossom.

She motioned to her sisters, and they got into a huddle.

After a minute, they got up, and blew the candles out.

"Well," said Blossom, "as for a wish, we always wanted to go to Hap-Happy Land…"

"Wish granted!" said Numbuh One, with a smile. "We parked the S.C.A.M.P.E.R. just outside!"

"All right!" said Numbuh Four. "Nothing like a night at the old carnival…"

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Sector V had purposely dipped into their emergency funds so they could fulfill any wish the Powerpuffs had requested. So getting nine admission tickets to the amusement park known as Hap-Happy Land wasn't hard at all.

And soon, the Powerpuff Girls were enjoying a birthday with friends that they didn't expect.

Into the first hour, Numbuh Five was walking away with Buttercup, and her cloths were sopping wet.

"That's the last time Numbuh Five gets talked into goin' on the log ride," she said shivering.

"That's what happens when you go on log rides," chuckled Buttercup. "You get wet!"

"Yeah, well, I'm gonna get a cold too…" muttered Numbuh Five.

"Hold still…" said Buttercup.

She aimed her heat vision, and slowly "scanned" Numbuh Five with it, drying her off.

"Gee, thanks!" exclaimed Numbuh Five. "Portable dry heat!"

"Ain't nothing," giggled Buttercup.

Meanwhile, Bubbles and Numbuh Two were studying the map.

"So, what do you want to do next?" asked Two.

"How about the whirling tilt-a-whirl?" suggested Bubbles.

"Yeah, right?" said Numbuh Two, sarcastically.

"C'mon, it'll be fun!" laughed Bubbles.

"Bubbles, the last time I went on the tilt-a-whirl, I threw up all over the guy next to me," he moaned, "that wasn't exactly fun.

Numbuh Four came up with a huge cup.

"Do you guys know this place sells half-gallon chocolate frosties?" he exclaimed.

"Then again…" said Numbuh Two with a smile.

"Just make sure you aren't next to him…" said Bubbles.

Meanwhile, Blossom and Numbuh Three were at the games section. The time honored "knock-the-milk-bottles-over-with-a-baseball" booth was in front of them, and the prizes were Rainbow Monkeys.

"Okay, Numbuh Three," said Blossom with a grin, "since you were kind enough to make the cake, let's see if I can't win you something in return…"

She took one of the baseballs.

"They say there's a science behind throwing the perfect fastball…" she continued.

She hurled the ball, and knocked over all the bottles on one table.

"YAY!" cheered Numbuh Three.

"I'm not half done yet!" exclaimed Blossom.

She took another ball and blasted another stack of bottles over.

She took the other two balls and threw them in rapid succession, knocking over two more stacks.

"Looks like we have a winner!" said the booth keeper. "You'd better look out, missy – a baseball scout might see you!"

"Well, that will always be the dream," sighed Blossom.

At the video arcade, Snowball and Numbuh One were playing a shooting game – _Night of the Brain Eaters._

"On the left, Numbuh 99!" warned Numbuh One.

Snowball aimed the toy gun and blasted the zombie to pieces.

"You shoot pretty well," he said.

"Thanks," answered Snowball. "The trainers at the Arctic base said I was a natural with 2x4 firearms. They told me, 'Snowball, you're an Anne Oakley with fur and fangs'."

"Well, the Kids Next Door needs as many of those as we can get," answered Numbuh One. "Although we don't exactly need fur and fangs…"

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The night wore on, and eventually, the whole group met in the pizza parlor in the center of the park. Numbuh Three was hugging her new toy, and they were all pretty much worn out and hungry.

Numbuh Five was a little on edge. Something didn't feel right…

As the pizza came to the table, Numbuh One noticed her discomfort.

"Something wrong, Numbuh Five?" he asked.

"I dunno," she said. "Numbuh Five's just having a funny feeling that she gets sometimes…"

She looked around.

She had a good reason for having a funny feeling…

Her sister had been spying on them all night, from the shadows, always out of sight.

But it wasn't time to strike yet.

Cree chuckled.

"To bad the Powerpuff Girls won't live to see their _next _birthday," she laughed, "because tomorrow, they'll get into a fight they can't win…

"All due to my secret weapon…"

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_**What is Cree's secret weapon? And what does she have planned?**_

_**Stay tuned for a chapter that I call "Cree's Conundrum", coming soon.**_


	2. Cree's Conundrum

_I'd like to thank everyone for the kind reviews… except for one guy who will go unnamed. For anyone who thinks I'm gay for writing this fic, you'll soon be proven wrong, especially once some special guests show up in later chapters._

_Anyway, I have the next chapter out… This chapter may be short, but it was either this or make a gigantic second chapter, and I didn't want that. Read on…_

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**CHAPTER TWO**

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**Cree's Conundrum**

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It was fortunate that the next day was a Sunday, because both Sectors were exhausted from too many rides and junk food.

Eventually, in the Sector P Treehouse, Blossom pulled herself awake and headed for the kitchen.

She opened the cabinet and pulled down four boxes: Cheerios (that was hers), Wheaties (Buttercup's), Rainbow Munchies (Bubbles's), and a box of Kitty Krunchies.

She sighed as she went to the refrigerator to get the milk. This had to be the only KND Treehouse in the world that kept cat food next to the cereal boxes. Still, Snowball was just as much a member of the team as she was, so they couldn't exactly treat her as a pet.

It wasn't the only problem they had with Snowball. Their Treehouse – like all Treehouses – were powered by hamsters, and hamsters were afraid of cats. It had taken a month after the place had been built for their power supply to even believe that Snowball wouldn't try to eat any of them. Even now, the hamsters were having a hard time trusting her. (The fact that Snowball _had _admitted to having eaten hamsters in the past – along with mice and rats – while fending for herself on the streets was no help.)

Breakfast was a quiet affair. Most of them had headaches from all the sugar from last night.

"So Snowball," asked Bubbles, "still working on it?"

"Yeah, but probably not today," sniffed Snowball. "I think that log ride might have given me the sniffles…"

"Aw, Snowball, don't get sick again!" complained Buttercup. "You know what happened last time!"

They did indeed. It was kind of funny, looking back. Snowball had come down with a bad case of hay fever last month, only days after graduation from the KND academy. They took her to see a doctor – only to be told that he wasn't licensed to treat animals. They were a little offended. What were they supposed to do, see a vet? Eventually, they tried that – but the veterinarian had no idea how to deal with Snowball either. Eventually, they did what they should have done in the first place – they went to the Arctic base, where some KND medics were able to help out.

One of the benefits to being a member of the KND was the ability to get medicine without the prescriptions of a doctor – at least without one recognized by the A.M.A. Of course, the medication wasn't exactly approved by the A.M.A. either, but the Kids Next Door really didn't need government agencies telling them what to do.

While they were eating, they didn't know that, one mile away, their Treehouse was being watched.

Cree was standing beside her bike-vehicle; she was dressed in her ever-present Battle Ready Armor, and had a new addition to it. Strapped to her back was a tank-like contraption with a nozzle, kind of like a flamethrower.

She set up a laptop like contraption on a tall rock.

_Well, it's almost time, _she thought, _but before I make my move, I think I'll give my old friends a ring…_

…_just to rub their noses in it!_

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Meanwhile, at the Sector V Treehouse, the team was sitting in their pajamas around the meeting room.

Numbuh One had promised that his speech would be brief.

"Okay team," he sighed, "we have a few things to discuss. First, I really hate to bring this up, but last week's physical has shown that all of us, myself included,are starting to put on a little weight…"

Everyone looked at Numbuh Two.

"Why does a complaint about gaining weight always center on me?" he growled.

"Ironically," snapped Numbuh One, "the rest of us gained more than he did! Now I understand that we all get plenty of exercise dealing with all the bozos that we have to fight, but all the pizza and candy is going straight to our hips. Furthermore…"

"PRIORITY MISSION ALERT!" shouted the computer. "PRIORITY MISSION ALERT!"

"Uh, hold that thought," he said.

They all ran to the mainframe room.

"Wonder what Numbuh 65.3 has for us this time?" pondered Numbuh Four.

Numbuh One turned on the screen. Static came on…

And they all gasped!

It _wasn't _Numbuh 65.3…

"CREE?" shouted Numbuh Five.

Cree flicked a switch, and her mask retracted. She grinned evilly.

"Hello, Kids Next Dorks," she chuckled. "So sorry if I caught you at a bad time…"

"Cree, how did you get this frequency?" demanded Numbuh One.

"Well Nigel…" shrugged Cree, "I figured that if I wanted to know something you knew, all I had to do was _think _like you. So I thought to myself, 'I'm a brat with no hair who wears ridiculous looking sunglasses and talks with a stupid accent', and before long, I figured it out."

"Stupid accent?" yelled Numbuh One. "What's wrong with the way I talk?"

"Um, actually Numbuh One," muttered Numbuh Four, "we never wanted to bring this up, but…"

"I don't really think it's stupid, but…" started Numbuh Three. "I mean, it makes you sound… important."

"Guys," said Numbuh Five, "in case you didn't notice, my sister's hacked into our communication grid!"

Numbuh One turned angrily to Cree.

"WHAT DO YOU WANT?" he shouted.

"I just wanted to tell you, I hope you and your Powerpuff pals had a good time at the carnival last night," smiled Cree, "'cause you'll never see them again!"

"What are you talking about?" sneered Numbuh Two. "You try to take them on, they'll pound you flat!"

"Yeah!" responded Numbuh Four. "They've taken on jerks one-hundred times your size!"

"Oh?" asked Cree. "Were any of those jerks packing _this?"_

She turned her back to them and pointed to the tank on her back.

"A little chemical I got from an underworld source," chuckled Cree. "It's called X-Foliate Gas. See, it's a toxin… Harmless to most people…"

She chuckled.

"…but instantly and irrevocably fatal to anyone with Chemical-X in their blood! The next time you see your friends, there'll be nothing left of them but melted puddles of sugar and spice!"

The five operatives gasped.

"You won't get away with this Cree!" shouted Numbuh One. "We'll cut you off before you get there!"

"I'd like to see you try it!" she dared. "You're a good half-hour away from their Treehouse, and I'm only five minutes away!

"I'd love to stay and chat, but I've got a fight to get to… adieu…"

The image was cut off.

"Numbuh Five!" ordered Numbuh One. "Radio Sector P! We have to warn them!"

"Already on it chief!" replied Numbuh Five, inputting the controls.

She spoke into the microphone.

"This is Numbuh Five of Sector V, calling Sector P, do you read me!" she shouted.

There was no answer.

"No good chief!" she yelled, in panic. "Someone's jamming our transmission!"

"That cruddy teenager thought of everything!" cursed Numbuh Four.

"We've got to at least _try _to get there!" said Numbuh One grimly.

He ran towards the hanger and his team followed.

"We can only pray that the girls manage to hold out long enough for us to make a difference…"

One minute later, the S.C.A.M.P.E.R. blasted into the sky, its engines shining in the morning light.

**(Kids Next Door S.C.A.M.P.E.R.: Shoddy Camper Actually Makes Perfect Emergency Rescuemabob)**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

_Okay, _thought Cree. _Break in, fight for a minute of two, and then let them have it!_

Meanwhile, Buttercup and Blossom were playing a video game (_Super Smash Bros._), while Bubbles and Snowball watched.

"HEY!" shouted Buttercup, as her sister's Princess Peach walloped her Yoshi with her behind. "You can't do that!"

"I can, I did, and that's why I'm going to win!" laughed Blossom.

"We'll see about that…" grumbled Buttercup.

Yoshi darted forward and swallowed Peach.

"HA, HA!" cheered Buttercup. "Lunch time!"

"It's not over yet!" replied Blossom, angrily.

"Have they always been this competitive?" asked Snowball.

"No," sighed Bubbles. "It was pretty peaceful for about an hour after the Professor created us. After that…"

"EMERGENCY!" screamed an alarm. "EMERGENCY! WARNING!"

"We're under attack!" screamed Bubbles.

"AIRBORNE CRAFT APPROACHING!" shouted the alarm.

"Shoot," pouted Buttercup. "Just when I was winning…"

She pushed the "Pause" button.

The two of them jumped off the couch, and the four operatives assumed fighting positions.

"Be ready for anything, Girls!" shouted Blossom. "The defense system will probably handle it, but if it can't…"

The wall caved in with a burst of timbers, and Cree's ship flew in, blasting its guns! The team dove for cover!

"You were saying?" snarled Buttercup.

The craft landed and the pilot leapt out of the cockpit.

"Cree?" sneered Blossom. "So, you didn't learn your lesson the last time, huh?"

"We're just gonna have to teach it to you again!" chuckled Bubbles.

"The class is called Butt-Whooping 101," laughed Buttercup, "and the four of us are the professors!"

"Well see about that, Power Punks!" she shouted.

She lifted her arms, and her twin laser pistols emerged. She opened fire!

The Girls yawned as the laser blasts glanced off of them.

"Lasers?" chuckled Bubbles. "Please, we _invented _that."

"Maybe you'd like to have the first taste of a new trick we've been working on…" smiled Blossom.

The three girls put their left hands together.

"TRIANGLE BLAST!" they shouted.

A green energy-triangle with a star in it appeared in front of them, and started to spin clockwise. It shot forward, striking Cree in the chest!

The assassin staggered back. She had to admit, that was a good one…

"Full of surprises, I see," she sniggered. "But then, I am too!"

She double-tapped her palm and a glowing net shot forward, entangling the three small operatives! They screamed as they were shocked by electricity!

"Cruddy kindergartners…" she laughed.

And then a blast from a laser gun knocked her over!

She turned and saw Snowball holding a jalapeño gun.

"Forget about me, sunshine?" asked Snowball.

"Kitty," snarled Cree, "I'm gonna take you down and mail you to the violin factory!"

She blasted her lasers at Snowball, but the agile operative dodged them.

"Stand still!" cursed Cree. "Darn, this is like trying to hit…"

"…maybe a cat on a hot tin roof?" asked Snowball, chuckling.

As Cree tried to aim, a voice in her head told _her _to dodge.

She did so, as three blasts of heat vision sailed over her.

Her other foes had gotten free.

_Have to get them all together,_ she thought. _If I can blast all four of them in one shot, this will be over quickly…_

The three Girls flew up behind Snowball.

"Okay Cree," said Buttercup, with a sneer. "You can clearly see that you're outclassed. Now are you gonna do this the easy way, or the hard way?"

Cree grinned.

She snatched the hose from the tank on her back!

"I have another option in mind, thank you!" she yelled. "Suck X-Foliate!"

She squeezed the trigger, and a cloud of gas covered the four operatives!

Cree cackled madly…

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

"Numbuh Two, can't you move this thing any faster?" shouted Numbuh One, as the S.C.A.M.P.E.R. roared over the countryside.

"I have it to the floor, chief!" protested Numbuh Two.

"We've got to get there…" groaned Numbuh One. "If Cree was right, she's already been there forfour minutes!"

He held his head in his hands and slumped into his chair…

"If even one operative falls at the hands of that accursed… traitor…" he moaned.

Numbuh Three got up…

She closed her eyes and lifted her head.

"They won't fall…" she whispered.

"Huh?" said Numbuh Four, in surprise. "Kuki, you know I hate it when you talk like that…"

Numbuh Three paused.

"Blossom… Bubbles… Buttercup… Snowball…" she whispered.

She paused again.

"I can feel them… they won't fall…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

"YES!" laughed Cree, manically. "DIE!"

Blossom, Bubbles, Buttercup, and Snowball coughed for a minute…

And then they glared at Cree angrily.

"That's the best you've got, Cree?" asked Blossom sarcastically. "In case you didn't know, we're _immune_ to perfume. It falls right off us."

Cree's eyes opened wide.

"It didn't work?" she said out loud. "You all should have been reduced to sludge in five seconds!"

"I'm a little confused here Cree…" muttered Bubbles. "Whatever X-Foliate is, I don't think it does what you think it does."

She paused.

"Yeah, that made sense."

"NO!" shouted Cree. "Impossible!"

She aimed the hose again and sprayed an even larger cloud!

The Girls coughed again.

"Okay, Cree," said Blossom with a frown. "We tried to be nice about this…"

The four operatives charged at the assassin fists-first…

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Five minutes later, the S.C.A.M.P.E.R. landed in the Sector P hanger and screeched to a halt.

"Come on, move!" shouted Numbuh One.

Still wearing pajamas, the five Sector V operatives charged out of the craft with weapons drawn.

"Move it, move it, move it!" shouted Numbuh One, as they ran into the main base.

They threw open the door.

"Okay sis," shouted Numbuh Five, "stick 'em…"

She paused.

"…up?"

In the center of the room, Blossom, Bubbles, Buttercup, and Snowball were standing over the battered and unconscious body of Cree Lincoln.

"Uh, hi guys…" said Bubbles, sweetly. "Sorry we didn't save any for you…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

A half-hour later, a lot had changed in the Sector P Treehouse.

The two teams were taking no chances with Cree. They had torn the armor off, and were using their most secure restraining device. A number called "The Cuff."

The Cuff was basically a heavy ironchair with ten locked leather straps to hold a prisoner in place – two for each limb, one for the waist, and one for the neck. It could only be moved with special equipment.

Meanwhile, the four Sector P operatives were lying on cots while Numbuh Three (Sector V's medic, more or less) looked over them. Once they had told them that Cree had managed to use her X-Foliate, they were more than a little worried…

"Numbuh Five's got off the horn with headquarters," said Numbuh Five, coming up. "And she's got something that may be both good news and bad news – they're sending a team to pick up Cree… And Numbuh 86 is personally overseeing it."

Cree groaned.

"Well, let's not ask her to stay for lunch…" sighed Numbuh Two, who was working with some chemicals. He wore rubber gloves and a particle mask as he handled the stuff.

"What's the scoop, Numbuh Three?" asked Numbuh One.

"Hmm," pondered Numbuh Three, holding Blossom's arm.

"Nothin', Numbuh One," she said. "No poisons, no toxins, no corrosives… there's nothin' nasty in them at all!"

"I'll tell you why…" said Numbuh Two, with a frown on his face. He took off the mask andheld up a tube of chemicals. "I analyzed this X-Foliate, and it's X-Phony! This is nothing but cheap cologne that you buy at the mall! My grandma uses this stuff!"

"What?" said Cree, in shock. "But… but… HOW? My supplier said…"

Numbuh One chuckled. He walked up to her.

"It's obvious what happened Cree," he said with a grin. "You commissioned someone to construct a weapon that would be lethal to anyone with Chemical-X in their blood, but whoever you contacted knew that such a weapon could never be tested beforehand. Beings with Chemical-X inside them are as rare as a first edition Yipper #100!

"So what obviously happened was…

"…your supplier double-crossed you!"

Cree stared into space as this reality started to sink in…

"NOOO!" she screamed.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

About an hour later, it was clear that global command was taking no chances either. The most secure prison transport ship in the fleet landed in the hanger, and the Head of Decommissions – also known as Numbuh 86 – disembarked with a small army of soldiers.

"Numbuh 86," said Numbuh One, meeting her.

"Numbuh One," she affirmed.

She looked at them

"Why are ya all wearin' yer pajamas?" she asked.

"When fellow operatives' lives are potentially in danger, we don't take the time to change," growled Numbuh One.

"Well," said Numbuh 86, looking at Cree, "it goes against my better judgment, but I must say ya all did a good job."

She turned to her troops.

"Now let's get this piecea' trashout of here."

Cree didn't know what was worse – being taken prisoner, or how humiliating it was. They didn't dare release her from The Cuff, instead loading it on the ship with a forklift. Sector P had been told to keep her armor with them – a separate ship would be along later with tools to destroy it.

Once on the ship, Numbuh 86 picked up a private communicator. With Cree and her troops watching, she listened.

"Yes ma'am," she said. "Yes ma'am… understood."

She hung up.

"Okay troops," she said. "We have approval… Class Eight prisoner transport!"

Six operatives aimed their weapons at Cree.

"Huh?" asked Cree, with a look of fear. "Class Eight? What's that?"

Numbuh 86 chuckled.

"Let me put it this way, Cree," she snarled, "there's no such thing as Class _Nine _prisoner transport! With all the trouble you've given us, we aren't taking any chances at all this time…

"Class Eight is so secure that only Numbuh 362 herself can approve it. That was her I was just talking to. We now have permission ta use lethal force if we have the _slightest _idea that you intend to try somethin' funny.

"So if ah were you, ah'd sit still and shaddup until we got ta the Moonbase!

"And once we're there, you're gonna be gettin' somethin' you should have gotten a long time ago… If ya know what I mean…"

She grinned.

Cree couldn't respond.

She bowed her head as the grim reality of the situation started to sink in…

...namely, she wasn't going to be getting out of this one…

**0**

**0**

**0**

_**Coming up next:**_

_**It looks like it's all over for Cree. With super-maximum security holding her in place, it seems her fate will be those of all former KND operatives.**_

_**Coming up next – a surprising factor is mixed into the whole deal. A strange new character appears, but he will remain strange.**_

_**And in the chapters that follow, prepare to meet a host of new colorful characters…**_

_**Including, but not limited to, a new band of heroes called The Dogs of War.**_

_**Who are The Dogs of War? Well, I can't spill the beans now; keep reading, because "Operation P.O.W.E.R.P.U.F.F.-T.W.O." is just starting.**_


	3. Shadows Lengthen

_Before I go further, I would like to assure everyone that I am putting Woogum in his place. From now on, his insulting "reviews" will be deleted immediately – as will any of his "friends" – unless he has the courage to make one while signed in. If you see one of them before I get a chance to get rid of it, I ask you to ignore him. Do not sink to his level – you'll only encourage him._

_Now, one person asked whether Yugi and his friends would be appearing. Answer: no. That has been done. The same person asked about Krypto the Superdog. Well, not that I dislike that show, but I've never seen it. So no. _

_Another fan suggested that the Destructively Nefarious Kids and the Powerpunk Girls show up. (For those who don't know, the Powerpunk Girls are the Powerpuffs' evil twins from an alternate reality who appeared in a comic book. They were supposed to appear in a computer animated episode of the show, but that project was cancelled.) Well, as you may know, the KND made peace with most of the DNK, so the chances of them appearing are slim. As for the Powerpunk Girls… maybe I'll decide if I ever find where I put that comic book. _

_Anyway, the fanfic continues…_

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**CHAPTER THREE**

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**Shadows Lengthen**

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The next two days were slow ones for both teams. Adult tyranny was at a low point, it seemed.

Word had gotten out that Father's most powerful henchman was in KND custody, and it sort of acted as a damper on the morale of most villains. Despite what they had said in the Bar With No Name, Cree was thought of as potentially the best bet for a major victory.

After school on Wednesday, the C.H.I.M.E.R.A. flew from Townsville towards Sector V headquarters. Numbuh One had invited Sector P to help test out a new training device he had invented…

He called it, half jokingly, "The Danger Room", after a device used by the X-Men. It used holographic technology, and if the prototype worked, would soon be present in Treehouses worldwide.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

The two teams stood before a chamber that was separated from them by a wall of glass. A console full of controls was to the side, manned by Numbuh One.

"Okay," pondered Numbuh One, "let's have a volunteer try it out, shall we?"

Everyone looked at each other.

"Numbuh Five'll give it a go, chief," said Numbuh Five.

"Okay, Numbuh Five," said Numbuh One.

He pulled a lever and a door opened.

"Good luck!" chuckled Numbuh Two.

Numbuh Five stepped inside the chamber, and the door shut.

"Okay, Numbuh Five," said Numbuh One, through a microphone, "choose your weapon…"

"Hmm," said Numbuh Five. "Can't argue with the basics. Soda bottle blaster."

Numbuh One punched in a code, and the weapon materialized in Numbuh Five's hand!

"Okay, now listen up," Numbuh One explained. "Once the holograms appear, you won't be able to hear us. Your goal is simply to avoid being 'killed' before the timer runs out. I'm setting it to three minutes. We might try longer eventually, but this is the first try. Any questions?"

"No," responded Numbuh Five. "Let 'er rip!"

Numbuh One pulled down three levers, and the chamber came to life…

Numbuh Five was in the middle of a creepy mansion.

"Delightful Manor," noted Blossom. "Interesting…"

Numbuh Five looked around, and saw a troop of suits of armor with swords marching towards her!

"Oh!" cried Bubbles. "Be careful, Numbuh Five!"

Numbuh Five blasted away at the creatures, and they started to fall into scrap. She smiled as her weapon started to decimate the enemy…

She didn't see more of the metal soldiers coming up behind her…

"Eek!" shouted Numbuh Three. "Look out!"

"Negative on that, Numbuh Three," said Numbuh One. "Like I said, she can't hear you…"

The three teams looked in horror as one of the knights smote Numbuh Five with its sword! She gasped and fell over.

She tried to get up, but the android thrust his sword downward…

"End simulation…" muttered Numbuh One.

The holograms vanished.

"Ooh, what happened?" asked Numbuh Five.

"You're dead, Numbuh Five," scolded Numbuh One, "because you didn't watch your rear. Our enemies rarely play fair, you know…"

He pulled a lever and a door opened. Numbuh Five groaned, got up, and walked out.

"Don't feel bad…" comforted Blossom. "It was your first time…"

"Maybe someone from Sector P would like to try?" asked Numbuh One.

"Sure!" exclaimed Snowball. "I'll take it on!"

"Okay, Numbuh 99, let's see what you've got…" answered Numbuh One.

The door opened, and Snowball walked in.

"Any weapon preferences, Numbuh 99?" he asked.

"I love a challenge," answered Snowball. "I'll handle this with just my claws."

"As you wish," replied Numbuh One. "Three minutes on the clock… and go!"

The holograms sprung to life, and Snowball found herself in what looked like a huge ice cream factory. She unsheathed her claws…

A gang of thugs rushed at her.

"Ice cream men!" shrieked Numbuh Four.

"Don't worry, she can handle it," smiled Buttercup.

The holographic villains fired a barrage of soft-serve pistols at Snowball… She leapt over them, and kicked the head one in the face. He vanished, and Snowball followed with a floor-sweep, knocking down four more of them.

She leapt forward with two claw swipes, and two more of the thugs vanished.

"Wow!" shouted Numbuh Two. "She has this one cold!"

He chuckled.

"Get it? Cold?"

"She can't get cocky, Numbuh Two," replied Numbuh One. "Enemies aren't the only hazards in these simulations… Just watch…"

Snowball stopped to catch her breath… She didn't seem to notice that she was standing right underneath a huge cauldron…

Slowly the cauldron started to tip over.

"SNOWBALL!" yelled Bubbles.

Snowball quickly spun around! She backflipped out of the way as chocolate fudge cascaded down on the spot where she had been!

"Phew!" exclaimed Numbuh Three. "That was close!"

One minute and thirty seconds was left on the clock, and a new wave of ice cream men charged at Snowball, these ones carrying heavier weapons.

Snowball dodged as one of them fired a stream of butterscotch syrup at her! She dodged again as two of them tried to catch her in a crossfire of walnuts and sprinkles!

She leapt up into the air, and took two of them down with kicks. She grabbed one of them, and threw him at two of the others. The thugs vanished.

"She's good to go," said Numbuh One, "but in the last minute, a boss character shows up…"

A hulking form rose in front of Snowball. It looked like the famous Ice Cream Beast, but this one was only ten feet tall. It lumbered towards Snowball.

Snowball dodged as the thing spit globs of ice cream at her. She backed away as it advanced…

With thirty seconds on the clock, she noticed that a piece of machinery was hanging over the creature from a chain.

She leapt over the beast, and hit the chain with her foot, shattering it! The machine fell on top of the beast, splattering it into a morass of ice cream!

The eight operatives watching cheered. A loud "ding" sounded as the clock ran out.

The holographs shut down.

"Well Snowball," said Numbuh One, "the good news is, you passed that stimulation. The bad news is, it will be harder for you next time."

The door opened.

"Bring it on!" laughed Snowball. "But in the meantime, I could use a glass of milk…"

"So, who's next?" asked Numbuh One.

Then a sound came from the mainframe room.

"INCOMING MESSAGE," said the computer. "INCOMING MESSAGE."

"Hold that thought," said Numbuh One.

They all ran (or flew) towards the room.

"Wonder what it is now?" asked Buttercup.

They turned on the screen…

And they were, to say the least, surprised. They were met by the face of the Supreme Kids Next Door Commander, Numbuh 362 herself!

"Well, Sectors V and P," she commented. "So glad to catch you both at once…"

"Numbuh 362!" exclaimed Numbuh One. "Uh, ma'am…"

All nine of the operatives stood up and saluted.

"At ease, everyone," said Numbuh 362. "First let me say that I'm proud of you all for apprehending Cree Lincoln."

"In all due respects, ma'am," answered Numbuh One, "Sector P deserves almost all of the credit…"

"Really?" said Numbuh 362. "Only in the organization for a month, and you've brought down one of our worst enemies!"

The Powerpuffs blushed. (Snowball would have, if her face wasn't covered with fur.)

"It was nothing…" squeaked Bubbles.

"Don't sell yourself short, Numbuh 218," answered 362. "Anyway, I have an invitation for you all. At 10 PM EST tonight, we're holding Cree's execution..."

She chuckled.

"Actually, her memory wipe," she continued, "sorry, I couldn't resist... and we thought you all would like to come watch."

"Heh, heh," laughed Numbuh Five. "Are you kiddin'? Numbuh Five wouldn't miss that for the world!"

"Yeah!" chuckled Blossom. "We'll be there with bells on!"

"Good," said Numbuh 362. "Be here by nine-thirty to get good seats. This is sure to be quite a show."

The transmission ended.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

The rest of the afternoon was spent trying out the Danger Room. With the exception of Numbuh One (who was the only one yet who knew how to operate it) everyone got a chance to try it out once. Blossom, Bubbles, Numbuh Three, and Numbuh Four all survived their simulations… Buttercup and Numbuh Two did not. Numbuh Two took it with a grain of salt, but it was somewhat of an embarrassment for Buttercup and Numbuh Five.

At eight-thirty, the nine of them loaded onto their school bus vehicle and blasted off for the central command center of the Kids Next Door – the imposing structure on Earth's natural satellite known as the Moonbase.

Whenever a member of the Kids Next Door turned thirteen, they were required to retire, in a process called decommissioning. This was done at the Moonbase, and it required that the operative's memories be wiped clean of all KND activity. The organization had to keep its secrets even from former members.

If you didn't go willingly (and the highest percentage did), Numbuh 86 and her team hunted you down and forced to you go. Runners were often taken to the Moonbase in chains and locked up until it was time for their final moments. The KND took no chances…

Mainly because of people like Cree.

Cree was once a member of the Kids Next Door, and one of the best of her time. But when she turned thirteen, she refused to submit to decommissioning. Somehow, she escaped, and was recruited by Father. Of all the teenage villains the KND had faced, Cree was the worst.

Hopefully now, all of it would be over…

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Cree was in her cell in the Decommissioning Chambers – still strapped securely to The Cuff. This had been the most humiliating experience of her life – they weren't going to take the risk of letting her use her hands, so her jailers had been instructed to feed her. Dinner for the last three nights had been macaroni and cheese… and she _hated _macaroni and cheese!

The clock on the wall said 9:30.

_So this is it, _she thought. _It all ends with a whimper rather than a bang…_

She sighed, and started singing a old tune…

"_**And now… the end is here…**_

_**And so I face… the final curtain…**_

_**My friend, I'll say it clear,**_

_**I'll state my case, of which I'm certain…**_

_**I've lived a life that's full,**_

_**I've traveled each and ev'ry highway…**_

_**And more… much more than this…**_

_**I did it my way…"**_

She smiled. That was catchy.

She started to sing the second verse…

"Cree!" shouted the guard from outside her cell. "Quiet down! With you singing that, Sinatra is probably rolling over in his grave!"

Cree sighed.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

At five minutes to ten, Sectors V and P and a small regiment of heavily armed operatives were gathered in room where a frightening device was set up. A chair with metal straps (similar to The Cuff) was positioned in front of a strange device. Sector V remembered how this thing worked – they had been mistakenly memory-wiped once before due to a scheme concocted by Numbuh 274, another teenage operative turned traitor. The "strange device" contained a plunger-like mechanism that clamped onto the face and did the job in a manner of seconds.

Numbuh 86 was busy at a console. It had been a while since they had used this on anyone as old as Cree.

Numbuh 362 entered.

"Everyone comfortable?" she asked.

"You bet!" said Numbuh Two.

"Um, Numbuh Two," sighed Numbuh 362, "please, no eating in this room…"

Numbuh Two looked at the bag of popcorn he had brought. He sighed, and put it away.

Numbuh 362 picked up a communicator.

"We're ready," she ordered. "Bring her in…"

Two minutes later, Cree was led in. Her hands and feet were manacled together with heavy chains, and no less than five operatives had weapons pointed at her.

_Look at them… _she thought. _They're afraid of me… I can't do anything but walk, they've got weapons pointed at every major organ in my body, and they're afraid of ME!_

_Well, at least I'll go out having made an impression…_

"Seal off the exits!" ordered 362.

The exits to the chamber sealed shut, and bolted from the outside.

"Okay, set her down…" continued 362.

The operatives led Cree to the chair, and attached the manacles to it.

"Well Cree," said Numbuh 362 grimly, "you've given us a lot of trouble, but it ends here and now…"

"Good for you," sneered Cree.

"Since we aren't as cruel as you are," continued 362, "I'll explain exactly how this is going to work. The memory-wiping process will take about a minute. I'd like to say it won't hurt, but since you're older than most teens who we use this on, that would be lying.

"Anyway, once it's done, you'll no longer have any memories relating to the Kids Next Door, or any of the skills you learned as a result of us… And thus, you'll have no reason to oppose us ever again. From this point on, your biggest concerns will be high school exams and boys, like any other girl your age."

Cree scowled.

"Who knows?" shrugged Numbuh 362. "Once this is over, maybe you'll actually start treating your younger sister with a little respect…"

Numbuh Five chuckled.

"Couldn't you have just put me in front of a firing squad?" asked Cree, sarcastically.

"We thought of that, but we couldn't have done it…" answered Numbuh 362.

"Why?" asked Cree with a smile. "Because you were too chicken to execute a prisoner?"

"No," said Numbuh 362, "because you might have asked for a last cigarette, and we don't have any!"

Every operative in the room laughed.

"Numbuh 86," ordered Numbuh 362, "do the honors."

"I will in a minute, chief," muttered Numbuh 86. "Like ya said, Cree is older than most a' the people we use this thing on. If ah make a mistake, she could wind up a brain dead vegetable fer the rest a' her life…"

"So what's wrong with that?" asked Snowball.

"Patience, Numbuh 99," cautioned Numbuh 362. "It is tempting, but if word got out that this thing did _that, _we might have a _lot _more operatives trying to resist decommissioning in the future."

Then Numbuh 362's communicator rang.

"Huh?" she said, picking it up.

She hit a button.

"Numbuh 200?" she whispered into it. "I told you to only call me now in case of an emergency!"

"This kind of _is_ an emergency," was the response. "An unauthorized message came over the blue line."

"Huh?" said Numbuh 362 in surprise. "Only the top operatives have access to that line!"

"Well this isn't a top operative," said Numbuh 200. "And whoever it is wants to speak to you concerning Cree."

Numbuh 362 thought for a minute.

"Send the message to the screen in Decommissioning Chamber A," she ordered. "Somewhat might want to negotiate for her release, and I can't resist saying 'no'!"

She went over to a large console, and turned on a screen.

She paused.

"Numbuh 86, hold up for a minute," she said. "Something strange is going on…"

Static filled the screen for a minute…

And then a shadowy form appeared on it. All the operatives in the room took notice.

The man on the screen – they _assumed_ it was a man – was sitting at a table, and dressed in a midnight blue cloak. His face was covered by a cowl that completely covered it.

"So, Numbuh 362," he said in a haunting voice. "Supreme Commander of the Kids Next Door. So glad we finally had a chance to meet…"

"Who the heck are you?" asked 362.

"My real name is something I keep secret," said the man, "but for purposes of identification, you may call me… Charon."

"Charon?" said Numbuh Four, scratching his head. "Who the heck is that?"

"A figure from mythology…" muttered Bubbles. "A ferryman who transported dead souls over the River Styx into the Underworld…"

Everyone looked at her.

"I read a lot…" she said.

"But onto business," continued Charon. "I wish… to trade for Cree's release – with her memory intact, of course."

Numbuh 362 laughed.

"What could you possibly have that would make us set Cree lose?" asked Numbuh 362.

Charon lifted a long, ornate box onto the desk…

He opened it.

Inside was a short sword, made from glowing metal, etched with mystic runes.

Numbuh 362 gasped!

"Well?" asked Charon.

Numbuh 362 paused.

"I'm waiting…" said Charon.

"I'm thinking about it!" snapped Numbuh 362.

Everyone looked at her.

"Begging the Commander's pardon," said Numbuh One, "but you can't simply…"

"Quiet Numbuh One!" she snapped.

She turned to the screen.

"Okay, Charon, you have a deal," she muttered.

Everyone gasped!

"Splendid," said Charon, closing the box. "We'll make the switch at 4PM tomorrow after school classes get out, in the place where you usually do prisoner exchanges. I won't be there myself… My associate Malignus will be there to hand this over. Remember, I want Cree's mind intact, or no deal…

"End transmission…"

His image vanished.

"Numbuh 362…" said Blossom, slowly, "how can you…"

"I'll explain after this is done," growled 362. "At 4PM tomorrow, I am _personally _overseeing this exchange! Sectors V and P will accompany me."

She turned to Cree.

"You lucked out big time…" she sneered.

She turned to the guards.

"Get this piece of trash back to her cell…" she ordered.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Both Sectors found it hard to concentrate during school the next day. They had been so close to obliterating one of their greatest enemies… what was so important about that sword?

And who was this Charon whom they were handing Cree to? Numbuh 362 said she would have researchers run the names "Charon" and "Malignus" through their databases to try to find something.

When the closing bells rang, Sector P rushed to meet with Sector V outside neutral territory…

…namely, the Meridan Shopping Mall, a place long used by the Kids Next Door when they had to deal with enemies for things like treaties, truces… and prisoner exchanges.

And it wasn't long before the prisoner transport ship landed. Numbuh 362 led a team of soldiers who were bringing Cree out in shackles. The Commander was carrying a strange device.

"Okay," she said to her troops, "wait inside. Sectors V and P will provide security from this point on."

The nine operatives aimed their weapons at Cree.

"So I'm being traded for a dumb old sword?" grumbled Cree. "Care to let me in on why this thing is so important?"

"Shut your trap, Cree," warned 362. "Class Eight security is still in effect, in case you didn't know, and it will be until the trade is complete. Now move it!"

The two teams led the prisoner into the mall, towards the usual spot – a place on the second floor, where one side of the mall was connected to the other by a bridge.

The other side was shrouded in a strange aura of darkness.

"Spooky…" squeaked Numbuh Three.

A man walked out of the darkness. He wore a cloak similar to Charon, but he let his face show. It was pale, and unblemished. He had raven-black hair.

Numbuh 362 put a megaphone to her mouth.

"Malignus, I assume?" she asked.

"That's my name," responded the man in a raspy voice. "We've brought the goods…"

He opened a box, revealing the same sword that Charon had shown.

"Before we hand over Cree," snarled 362, "I'd like to make sure it's authentic…"

"Of course…" responded Maligno.

Numbuh 362 held up the device she was holding, and punched in a few numbers. A set of lights flashed, and then finally, a green light lit up with a hum.

"What do you know," she muttered. "It's the real deal…"

She hooked it to her belt.

"Okay, pal," she said, "we'll send over Cree…"

"Very well," said Malignus, "I'll send over the sword once I see her coming."

The operatives raised their weapons as Numbuh 362 unlocked Cree's shackles.

"Be ready to open fire if this is a double cross," warned 362.

She dropped the shackles on the ground.

"Like I said Cree, you lucked out," she warned. "Warning you not to try anything in the future will likely be a waste of breath, but maybe now at least you've learned that you aren't invincible.

"Now _beat _it!"

She kicked Cree in the rear, and Cree started to walk across the bridge.

At the same time, they saw a metal trolley with the sword on top roll towards them. Exactly what was pushing or pulling it, they couldn't see.

Cree and the sword switched sides…

Eventually, the trolley came to rest in front of them. Numbuh 362 took the sword by the hilt.

It glowed as she held it up.

"Yes…" she said. "The legends were true…"

They looked over and saw Cree walk towards the darkness. In the next instant, she and Malignus were swallowed by the shadows, and they vanished.

"Everyone," said Numbuh 362, "let's get back to he Moonbase. Explanations are in order…"

"Duh," muttered Numbuh Four.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

One hour later, in Numbuh 362's office.

"So what's so special about this sword, Commander?" asked Blossom. "Why were you willing to give up Cree to get it?"

"I'd have been willing to give up _any _prisoner to get it," sighed Numbuh 362. "Not only for its power, but for its significance.

"This is the sword that belonged to the _original _Numbuh One," she continued, "the founder of the Kids Next Door…"

Everyone gasped.

"Let me tell you about him, and part of his history," said Numbuh 362. "Back when the KND were formed, they were more powerful. The first team of operatives knew magic – powerful spells that they used for their goals. Their goals, of course, were the same as they are now – defend children from tyranny.

"The original Numbuh One, early in his career, rescued a youngster who happened to be a powerful Wicca…"

"Wicca?" said Numbuh Two with a look of disgust. "You mean a witch?"

"Hold that thought, Numbuh Two," interrupted Numbuh 362. "Most people think Wicca are witches who practice black magic. But in truth, they worship nature, and their magic derives from the Earth itself.

"Anyway, this Wicca was so grateful, that he forged this special sword. The sword only accepts one master at a time – who can only be one devoted to the KND cause – and can grant powers of earth, air, fire, and water.

"Numbuh One grew powerful with this weapon, but shortly before he was to retire, the KND faced their toughest challenge to date. It wasn't an adult, but a demon… A fiendish creature named Mavalus. This monster used evil powers to steal the souls from children and imprison them. What he planned to do with them, we still don't know…

"The KND couldn't even find Mavalus, but eventually Numbuh One went out on his own to investigate a lead. After a day, all the children whose souls had been taken recovered, their essences returned to them…

"But Numbuh One didn't come back. His team searched for a week…

"And eventually, they found all they could find. They found the demon's lair, with the demon's corpse inside. The cause of death was a sword wound through the chest, clearly done by Numbuh One's blade. But no trace of him nor his weapon was ever found. Most assumed that he gave his life to destroy the monster…

"And now, after all this time, his sword has returned…"

There was a long pause.

"So now what?" asked Buttercup. "Are you going to use it?"

"I told you," replied Numbuh 362, "the sword chooses its master. If that happens to be me, so be it… but it could be any operative…"

She looked at the nine operatives in the room. And they all looked at themselves.

"In the meantime," she mused, "we have bigger problems."

"Right," said Numbuh Five. "Charon…"

At that moment, a female operative with glasses entered the room.

"Numbuh 64…" said the Commander. "What do you have to report?"

"Chief," replied Numbuh 64, "I've run the name 'Charon' though every database we have… Not even a reference…"

Numbuh 362 sighed.

"What about Malignus?" she asked.

"Slightly better luck with him," answered Numbuh 64. "His name was mentioned in a letter that we screened that was written to Smart Alec."

"Who's Smart Alec?" asked Numbuh Five.

Numbuh 362 sighed.

"He's the smartest kid in the world," she replied. "Unfortunately, he's also the craziest. Two years ago, he tried to create a virus that would have wiped out all cacao bean trees on Earth!"

"So what's wrong with someone wanting to get rid of beans?" asked Numbuh Four.

Everyone else sighed.

"Genius," groaned Numbuh Five, "cacao beans are what they make chocolate out of!"

"Oh," shrugged Numbuh Four.

"We were able to stop him," responded Numbuh 362, "and he's now safely locked up in the Arctic Base prison."

She paused.

"Why don't you all go down there and interrogate him? Right now, he's the only clue we have towards solving this…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

In a dark place, a cloaked figure sat at a table. Figures in similar cloaks stood around him.

Malignus entered.

"Master," he said, "I have brought her…"

Cree entered.

"Nice place," she said, sarcastically. "Who's your interior decorator, Wes Craven?"

"Funny," said Charon's haunting voice. "You aren't showing much gratitude Cree, seeing as I saved your mind from being mutilated… and all I had to do was give those brats something that might make them stronger…"

"Don't get me wrong," answered Cree, "I'm grateful, but I have to ask, why?"

"Because I see potential in you Cree," said Charon. "My associates and I are skilled in sorcery… but we need a powerful warrior for the times when such skills won't suffice.

"I ask that you forget about Father and pledge allegiance to me instead… You'll find that I'm a much better employer…"

Cree chuckled.

"Sorcery, huh?" she mused. "As in magic? I suppose this is the part where I have to sign over to you the rights to my soul by signing my name on a contract using my blood?"

Charon laughed.

"Again with the funny," he chuckled. "Well, Cree, if you don't want to join me, you can just turn around and leave – the door is behind you. Although if you choose to do that, it will only lead to more defeats at the hands of the Kids Next Door…

"But if you choose to join me… Well, here is the first benefit…"

A door on the wall slid open…

Cree gasped in surprise. Hanging from hooks was something that resembled her old Battle Ready Armor, but was golden in color!

"This is _enchanted_ Battle Ready Armor," explained Charon. "It is far more powerful than your old set, with far more features…

"And that is just one of the many benefits of working for me."

Cree looked at him.

"What do I have to do?" she asked.

"Just agree to serve me…" said Charon.

His eyes appeared from under his hood, and they sparkled.

"All it takes is for you to say it…"

"Fine," said Cree, "I agree to serve you…"

There was a pause.

"Then welcome to my group, Cree Lincoln…" said Charon.

He waved his arm. The armor melted into an orb of golden light, and shot towards Cree. A golden radiance bathed her, and after a few seconds, she was wearing the splendid armor.

"Cool…" she said.

"Yes," smiled Charon. "Cool."

_It is as I suspected, _thought Charon. _Cree should remain easy to manipulate, so long as she never discovers that I was the one who tricked her into buying the fake X-Foliate. I may have had to give up the original Numbuh One's sword to get her away from the Kids Next Door…_

_But that sword will not help them in the long run. And unlike most of the fools who spar with those brats…_

_I tend to plan ahead…_

**0**

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_**Coming up next:**_

_**The two teams interrogate a villain! Then, meet the Dogs of War, a secretive group who will play a big part in this fanfic! It's all coming up in a chapter I call "Who Let The Dogs Out?"! Don't miss it!** _


	4. Who Let The Dogs Out

_**For help with this chapter, I'd like to thank recent Navy recruit Metal Dragoon, for his creation of the Dogs of War, who will play a large part in this fic. It's good to know that even members of our dedicated armed forces are young at heart enough to enjoy cartoons.**_

_**So, on we go.**_

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**now loading**

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**CHAPTER FOUR**

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**Who Let The Dogs Out?**

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Later that evening, a craft carrying the two teams landed at the Arctic Base.

Second only to the Moonbase in size and importance, the Arctic Base contained Global Command's training facilities, research and development labs, and main prison complex.

The two sectors were met by the prison's warden, a spunky eleven-year-old known as Numbuh 404. She looked soft on the outside, but anyone in the know knew not to cross her. She had once taken down a whole team of varsity football players turned bad by herself.

"Smart Alec's cell is in the maximum security wing," she said, leading them down a hallway. "We don't like taking chances with this guy. As Numbuh 362 likely told you… he's crazy."

"Point taken," said Numbuh One. "But we have to try to speak to him… he could be the key to finding information about this Malignus character…"

They came to a cell that was enclosed by thick, shatterproof glass, bearing small holes for ventilation. A youngster about thirteen years old was lying on a cot reading a copy of _National Geographic. _

He got up and looked at them. Smart Alec was an intimidating sight. He had no hair on his head (not even eyebrows), and small, beady eyes. His teeth were large and pure white.

"Well, well," he hissed in a soft voice. "I haven't had this many visitors since… I don't think I've _ever _had this many visitors!"

"What did you expect?" grumbled Buttercup. "You tried to destroy all the chocolate in the world!"

"True," responded Alec. "But I meant no malice towards other children by doing so. I had a very… _personal _reason for wanting to eradicate chocolate."

"And what dumb reason was that?" snarled Numbuh Four.

"Oh, chocolate is a confection that I am incredibly allergic to," answered Alec. "It makes me even… _crazier _than I usually am…"

"So you decided to wipe it all out instead of just laying off desserts," sighed Numbuh Five. "_That_ was a solution…"

"Look, Smarty Pants," demanded Numbuh One. "We want information. We know you know something about someone named Malignus, and we want to know what you know!"

Alec's eyes narrowed. He sat down.

"Well, I'll gladly tell you," he snarled. "I know very little, but I do know that Malignus was the one who drove me crazy in the first place…"

"Keep going…" urged Blossom.

"He hired me as a researcher to find an item – something called the Crimson Skull of Skarask… three years ago. He said his organization, something called the Dark Hand, needed it for something. He wouldn't tell me _what… _But business is business.

"Well, I found the item in Egypt, and then, not only did he refuse to pay me, he tried to kill me using some sort of…"

He paused.

"Being a man of science, I don't often believe in magic," he continued, "but that may be the only explanation for what he tried to do. His 'spell', if you could call it that, tried to use my own genius-level intelligence to kill me. I escaped, but it cost me my sanity."

"That's… horrible!" gasped Numbuh Three.

"Yes," muttered Alec. "And I'm afraid that's all I know. I never saw any other members of the Dark Hand."

"You believe this guy, Numbuh One?" asked Numbuh Four.

"What reason would he have to lie?" stated Numbuh One. "We'd best report this to Numbuh 362…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

A quick transmission later…

"The Dark Hand?" asked Numbuh 362.

"That's what he said," replied Numbuh One.

Numbuh 362 thought for a minute.

"Troops," she said, "I'm transmitting a code for a base that I want you to call tomorrow. They might be able to help with this matter.

"Ask for The Dogs of War."

"The Dogs of War?" asked Numbuh Two. "Who are they?"

"They're exceptional folks," said Numbuh 362. "But this is between you guys, and between me… No conversing about it with other teams."

A printout came out of the terminal…

They all looked at it.

"The Dogs of War…" said Numbuh One.

"Who are they?" pondered Blossom.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Nine AM the next morning, Pacific Standard Time, in the middle of the California desert…

Sinister plans were being made at a large, secret base.

The inside of the base was chillingly cold, which fit the current residents just fine.

A door opened, and Mr. Boss walked in.

"Rocky!" he snapped to the ice cream man standing by a console. "How goes the progress?"

"Perfect sir," chuckled the henchman. "The cannon will be complete within forty-eight hours. And once it is… we'll be able to freeze their stupid Moonbase solid!"

He laughed.

"ZAP! No more Kids Next Door!"

"Speaking of which," warned Mr. Boss, "are you absolutely certain that are security system will keep those brats from storming the place?"

"Absolutely certain," responded Rocky. "If anyone under the age of thirteen comes within twenty feet of this building, they get frozen into an ice cube!"

"Perfect…" smiled Mr. Boss. "I almost hope those brats try to break in here… I'd love to make kidsicles!"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

At that moment, a craft flew overhead, and four pods were released…

Parachutes opened, and they floated down to the roof of the base. Once there, they split apart, revealing four young boys…

Well, not really boys, but not men either. They were each about fifteen. Three were exactly the same age (being fraternal triplets), and the other was only a couple of weeks older.

The one who was older by a few weeks stood out a little. He was nearly six feet tall with jet black hair and black eyes. He wore black jeans, a black shirt, and a black duster over that, topped off with black combat boots. Situated on the breast of the duster was a symbol of a jackal's head (it was the image of the Egyptian Guardian of the Dead known as Anubis, but only a mythology buff would know that). Attached to his belt were two tonfas.

The first of his three companions (the oldest of the triplets by two minutes), had blonde hair and blue eyes, and was slightly shorter. He wore Jinco jeans and a t-shirt with the words "Kiss me!" on it. He also wore battered, steel toed boots, and had spiked brass knuckles on his hands.

The second triplet had blue eyes as well, but his blonde hair had red dyed streaks in them. He wore torn jeans and a loud Hawaiian shirt. Strapped to his back was a flamethrower tank connected to a long-necked torch. A belt loaded with tools was around his waist.

The fourth member of the group had dyed brown streaks in his hair. He wore sunglasses, and a suit of lightweight armor. He didn't seem to be carrying a weapon…

At least he didn't seem to be…

The apparent leader flicked a compartment on his watch, and spoke into it:

"Wolf?" he said. "Jackal here. We're in position…"

"Good," said a voice from the watch. "I'm sure you know what to do…"

"Yeah," said Jackal, "just be sure to be here once we're done – I don't think we'll be able to hold them off forever…"

"Don't worry," said the voice. "I'll be there. Remember, everyone's counting on you guys. End transmission."

Jackal closed the watch.

"Okay guys…" he said.

He turned to his partner with brass knuckles.

"Dingo…" he said.

He turned to the one with the torch.

"Fox…"

He turned to the one with the sunglasses.

"Coyote… listen up. You know the plan. You three keep them busy in there while I take care of the big problem. Wolf will need a good fifteen minutes to get here, so we have to hold out at least until then."

"You got it, Jackal," answered Dingo.

"All right," said Jackal, going to a vent. "Let's make it count. We're missing school for this. If we hurry, we can make third period."

He took a small device out of his duster. He aimed it at the vent, and a laser cutter slowly cut a hole in the metal grate.

He removed the grate and crawled in.

"That's our cue…" said Coyote.

Dingo hit a button on his belt, and his t-shirt and jeans were quickly covered by a suit of silvery armor. It wasn't the same design as Battle Ready Armor, but the basic idea was the same.

"Let's go," he said.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

"Okay," said Mr. Boss. "Get a reading on the Freon tanks. We don't want any more accidents…"

Suddenly the ceiling above them exploded!

Dingo, Fox, and Coyote lowered themselves in on grappling hooks, and leapt to the floor.

"Oops," said Dingo with a grin. "First accident!"

"What on earth…" gasped Mr. Boss.

"The Kids Next Door couldn't make it," said Fox, with a smile, "due to your defensive system…"

"So they asked us to kick your butts instead!" laughed Coyote.

"Since when do those Delinquents Next Door ask teenagers to help them?" shouted Mr. Boss.

"We'd love to tell you," said Dingo, "but we'd rather kick your behinds first!"

"Get 'em!" shouted the villain.

The ice cream men aimed their weapons at the three teenagers.

"I'm betting you know very little about ice cream weaponry…" gloated Mr. Boss.

"Oh?" chuckled Fox. "I know one thing about ice cream…"

He grabbed the torch off of his back.

"I know that it MELTS!"

He blasted a gout of flame at a group of the thugs, sending them running for cover.

"Great, Fox," said Dingo, "but I can't let you have all the fun…"

He leapt towards a group of the thugs, and flattened two of them with his fists.

One of them sprang towards him, and he kicked him in the jaw.

"Looks like you've got a bad case of foot-in-mouth disease!" he laughed.

"Try to outflank him!" said one of the thugs, as they rushed at Coyote.

Coyote looked around. One of them was aiming a soft-serve blaster from his right, one was aiming from his left.

"Take your best shot…" he dared.

They fired…

He fell to the ground, and the blasts sailed over him!

He looked up, and saw that the thugs had hit each other.

"There's a reason why the call coyotes 'wily', morons," he gloated.

He saw another thug coming at him with a huge rifle.

"Eat marshmallow sauce, jerk!" he shouted.

"Don't think so…" said Coyote.

He pulled a dagger out of his armor and threw it – it embedded itself in the nozzle of the gun! The thug screamed as his rifle exploded, covering himself with marshmallow goo.

Mr. Boss shouted over a communicator.

"Emergency!" he yelled. "All available soldiers to room 7B!"

Dingo, Fox, and Coyote ran to each other and stood with their backs to each other.

"I wonder how Jackal is doing?" asked Coyote.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Jackal's laser cutter opened a grate inside another portion of the building and he looked down.

Fox's infiltration was right on the money.

He was a hundred feet in the air, overlooking Mr. Boss's super-weapon – a freeze ray cannon that was intended to fire at the Moonbase. The thing was forty feet long, and reminded him of weapons from old science fiction movies – the long barrel tipped with an ominous nozzle, the tanks containing strange liquid, the mobile base…

It was clearly a marvel of science – too bad it had to go.

He lowered himself onto the huge weapon with his grapple, and removed the first of several devices from his duster. He slapped the device onto the side of the huge cannon and pressed a button. The numbers 8:00 appeared.

Then he moved to another spot on the weapon and attached another of the devices. Again, he set the numbers 8:00.

After about five minutes, he had planted ten of these devices on the weapon. He lowered himself to the ground. Fortunately, no one was there to stop him – everyone was trying to handle his teammates.

When his feet touched ground, he took a remote from his pocket, and pressed it.

The numbers on the devices changed to 7:59.

And then to 7:58.

He grabbed his tonfas and rushed out of the room.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Meanwhile, the ice cream men had gotten smart. They were using consoles as cover while firing at the three teens from a distance.

"Guys!" shouted Fox, spraying his flamethrower, "we can't hold them off forever!"

"We can sure try!" shouted Coyote. "Cover your eyes!"

Dingo and Fox shielded their eyes, as Coyote threw another dagger, a bright flash lit up the room!

"They can't hit what they can't…" started Coyote.

Then a glob of ice cream hit him in the face, knocking him over!

"JASON!" yelled Fox. "Are you all right?"

Coyote got up and tasted the stuff.

"Rum raisin?" he said in disgust. "I HATE RUM RAISIN!"

He took a pair of daggers out of his armor and threw them. They exploded, sending a group of thugs flying!

"Why don't you just shoot something nice, like mint chocolate chip?" he shouted.

One of the thugs picked up a large gun.

"Let's move in on them!" he shouted.

Then Jackal appeared behind him, and clobbered him with his tonfas.

"Come on people," he said. "We have five minutes to blow this joint!"

"Easiest way is the front door," said Fox, "you guys clear the way, and I'll tell you where to go…"

He pointed to a door.

"There!"

Dingo leapt forward, and a flurry of kicks downed the thugs in front of the door. The four of them rushed out of it.

"Hey!" shouted Mr. Boss. "Where you going? After them!"

The four of them ran down a hallway.

"Left at the next fork!" shouted Fox.

They turned left.

"Two minutes left…" said Jackal.

They saw a large set of iron doors, and a thug with their back to them.

"S'cuse us," said Jackal. "Is this the way out?"

"Of course…" sighed the thug.

Jackal karate chopped him in the shoulder blades, knocking him out.

"Thanks," said Jackal.

"Aw, man…" moaned Coyote. "How on earth are we gonna open these doors? Before we manage to melt or blast through them, we'll run out of time!"

Jackal saw a console with an imprint shaped like a hand.

He lifted up the thug's arm, took off his glove, and placed his hand on the imprint.

The doors opened with a whir.

"Thanks again…" he said.

They ran out.

"Come on guys," said Jackal. "One more minute and…"

They all stopped short.

"…and we're dead ducks…"

In front of them was a whole battalion of ice cream men, many of them driving vehicles. They all aimed their weapons at the four of them.

"Thought you could come in here and wreck my plans, huh?" said a voice behind them.

They turned and saw Mr. Boss, along with a squad of more ice cream men.

"I don't know who you guys are," he growled, "but you're about to be taught a lesson the hard way…"

Jackal looked at his watch.

"No…" he said with a smile. "You are…"

In the room with the weapon, the timers fell to 0:10.

Then to 0:05.

And finally, to 0:00…

At which point, a huge explosion erupted, blowing the weapon apart! A chain reaction, started, and the whole base began to cave in!

"What?" shouted Mr. Boss. "NO!"

"Ah, I love the smell of explosives in the morning…" sighed Jackal.

Everyone aimed their weapons at the four teens again.

_Okay Wolf… _thought Jackal, _any time now…_

"You guys are no better than the Kids Next Door!" shouted Mr. Boss. "You're going to pay for this…"

He paused.

"But before we blast you, we have to know… Since when does the Kids Next Door ally themselves with teenagers? They _hate _people like you!"

Then a rumbling was heard – the ground was shaking…

"What?" gasped Mr. Boss in surprise. "What's that? An earthquake? The Stock Market crashing?"

"We'd love to tell you our life story," said Jackal with a smile, "but I'm afraid our ride is here…"

And immense form came into view, thundering across the desert sand. He (they insisted on calling this device "he") was as big as Hippy-Hop, seventy-five feet long (including the tail), and fifty feet high at the shoulder. It was modeled after a wolf, with glowing red eyes, a mouth full of fangs, and sharp claws.

The huge mecha leapt into view and glared at Mr. Boss and his men…

**(Kids Next Door F.E.N.R.I.S.: Feral Entity Named Reconnaissance Interactive Robot)**

Large twin lasers opened on both sides of the fierce machine.

Then a hatch opened, revealing the pilot. He was a sixteen-year-old wearing a suit of brown, knight-like armor, with a helmet. On the side of the helmet was the mark of a howling wolf.

"A good general knows when he's outgunned," said Wolf with a smile. "Since you're likely not a good _anything, _I'm willing to call off my dog so long as you all amscray…"

Mr. Boss stared at the huge mecha…

"Ah… sure…" he gulped. "We'll just… be going now…"

The thugs turned tail and ran for their lives.

"Well boys," chuckled Wolf, "chalk up another mission for the Dogs of War…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Four PM that day, in the Sector V Treehouse, Both Sectors V and P were standing around the console as Numbuh Five punched in the code they were given.

"This is Numbuh Five of Sector V, calling…" she started.

She paused.

"…um, the Dogs of War," she continued. "Do you read us?"

The screen went static for a second.

After a minute, Wolf's face appeared on it. He had traded in his armor for brown khaki cargo pants and dark green shirts with black sneakers.

The operatives were surprised to say the least.

"Well, hello," said Wolf. "Sector V, was it – the ones who ousted Numbuh 274?"

"Um, yes…" said Numbuh One. "Are you sure this is the right place? You're a…"

"A teenager, I know," said Wolf. "That's the usual reaction whenever I see one of the normal Kids Next Door. The name's Wolf, at your service… So what can I do for you?"

Numbuh One was dumbfounded.

"Uh, well…" he said. "Our Supreme Commander kind of…"

He paused.

"You mean Numbuh 362?" asked Wolf. "You'd best do as she says… she's a smart kid…"

Numbuh One paused again.

"Look," said Wolf, "I know you likely have doubts, so tell you what… I believe I know where your Treehouse is…"

He punched in something into a console.

"Yes, there we go," he continued. "Bring your team to the Burgerville Diner at six o'clock. I'll come with my second-in-command – unarmed – and we can explain there over burgers and fries. Then you can tell us what Numbuh 362 needed us for."

"I don't know…" said Numbuh One, suspiciously.

"We'll buy?" suggested Wolf.

"All right," sighed Numbuh One. "Six o' clock."

The screen went dark.

"I don't like this," growled Numbuh Four. "I don't trust teenagers…"

"Oh?" asked Blossom. "What about Lotus?"

They all knew what Blossom meant. Lotus was a former KND operative who had performed acts above and beyond the call of KND duty. When she turned thirteen, she was given a rare gift – Privileged Decommissioned status. She still had to retire, but she was spared the memory wipe – and in return, she pledged to aid Global Command whenever normal operatives were insufficient.

Still, these Privileged Ones were rare, and as far as they knew, they didn't work together…

"Okay," said Numbuh One, "here's what we'll do…

"Sector V and I will go into the restaurant to speak to these guys. Meanwhile, Sector P will keep watch from the outside, just in case they can't be trusted. We'll secretly keep our communicators on, and we'll use a password in case we need help."

"Okay," said Bubbles, "what's the password?"

"Well," pondered Numbuh One, "it would have to be something that wouldn't come up in casual conversation, but could be inserted into it without suspicion…"

"I suggest the word 'eclipse'," said Snowball.

They all looked at her.

"You'll find that the average person uses that word only once every few years…" she explained.

"Eh, why not?" answered Numbuh One. "We have a little under two hours to prepare…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Six PM.

Blossom, Bubbles, Buttercup, and Snowball surrounded the Burgerville Diner, each of them perched in trees or on rooftops.

Buttercup was the first to see what they were looking for. Telescopic vision was a useful thing to have.

She took out her communicator.

"Come in, Numbuh One," she said. "I spotted that guy we spoke to earlier, and he has another teenager with him – must be that second-in-command he was talking about. They're heading for the diner."

"Affirmative on that, Numbuh 65," responded Numbuh One. "Be ready to move in just in case.

"And we'll be sure to get some burgers to go if this goes well."

"Thanks," said Buttercup.

Meanwhile, Wolf and Jackal were standing outside the restaurant.

"You sure about this, Dan?" asked Jackal. "We haven't dealt with regular operatives in a long time – least of all ones as respected as Sector V…"

"John…" sighed Wolf, "we took an oath when we agreed to this, and working with the core teams is necessary. Just remember, they're the Kids Next Door, and we work for the Kids Next Door. When they tell us to come, we come.

"I just hope they trust us…"

They went inside.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Ten minutes later, the Sector V operatives slowly made their way inside. _They _certainly hadn't come unarmed, but they came with weapons that were concealable.

"So," said Numbuh Two, "where do we…"

"Hey guys!" shouted Wolf. "Over here! I found a great table!"

Wolf waved from the largest table in the diner.

"Hmm, hmm," muttered Numbuh Five. "Well, they seem friendly enough…"

They all walked up to the table and sat down. The five youngsters looked at the two teenagers for a minute.

"So, Numbuhs One through Five," said Wolf. "The very ones who saved the Moonbase from Numbuh 274?"

"Huh?" asked Numbuh One. "How did you know about that?"

"We keep on tabs with major KND activities," said Wolf. "By the way, you can call me Wolf, and this is Jackal…

"And I'm sure you want explanations…"

"Pretty much," sneered Numbuh One. "Why would our commander refer us to a group of teenagers?"

"Let's start at the beginning," said Wolf. "As soon as we order. Waiter? Can we have some menus?"

"I'd try the bacon double cheeseburger with horseradish," suggested Jackal, "bad for you cholesterol, but hey, who cares? And like we said, we're buying…"

"Hey, Numbuh One," chuckled Numbuh Four, "I'm starting to like these guys!"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

After the waiter had gone to fill the order, Wolf started.

"I guess it's best to start at the beginning," he sighed. "Some years ago, the Dogs of War were once known as Sector D…"

Numbuhs Two and Three gasped!

"What?" asked Numbuh One.

"Hippy Hop…" whispered Numbuh Three.

"Numbuh One," explained Numbuh Two, "I built Hippy Hop, but I didn't truly design him. I based his blueprints off a design that was written by someone from the original Sector D… dated about five years ago…"

Wolf nodded.

"That was our technology expert," he said. "You'll get a chance to meet him soon.

"Anyway, we were best known for combat in all its forms. You may have heard of a group of nutcases known as the Chevaliers…"

"Umm-hmm," said Numbuh Five. "Numbuh Five read about them. They were a group of teenagers who wanted to dominate children, and they trained in physical fighting techniques because they _knew _the Kids Next Door would come after them. Rumor had it that Father was funding them…"

"True," said Jackal. "Every one of the Chevaliers specialized in a different fighting style – you never knew if the one you were going up against was an expert in Aikido, Escrima, or Mexican Knife Fighting, to name three.

"But that didn't stop us. We managed to hack into their computers and identify each member, so it was easy for us to make a preemptive strike on their headquarters and bring them down."

"Like you said," continued Wolf, "one member of our team drafted the blueprints that you used to build Hippy Hop – we used them as well. We had plans for them, a project for large-scale warfare…"

He paused.

"Three huge war machines, with artificial intelligence and interactive controls. We only use them when we have to, but they form a formidable force…

"Anyway, I was a year older that my teammates, so I was the one who got the axe first…"

Numbuh Three squeaked in fright.

"Decommissioned?" shuddered Numbuh Two.

"Yes," sighed Wolf, "not the best day of my life. I lost my memory of the Kids Next Door, and concentrated on other things, and… Jackal, why don't you explain the next part…"

Jackal paused again.

"Well," continued Jackal, "me and the other three members continued without him, as best we could, and we made some great progresses towards the KND cause. We were the ones who destroyed… the Rail Gun during that time…"

The five operatives gasped in fear!

"You're kidding!" shouted Numbuh One. "That was you?"

They all knew what he was talking about. A rail gun was the dream of all countries' weapon's system. Theoretically, it was a satellite that could pull meteors and similar space debris out of orbit and send them hurtling towards targets with pinpoint accuracy. The design was so deadly that the Geneva Convention forbade the building of one…

But the madman who tried to build _the _Rail Gun didn't care. He hated the Kids Next Door so much, that he started to build the satellite, intending to use it to annihilate every KND Treehouse. No-one could even find it, due to a cloaking device.

But one team of operatives found it. They boarded the satellite and destroyed the evil machine before it was operational. The madman was presumed to have perished aboard his infernal device… The identity of the heroic team who did it was kept secret, for fear of retribution against them.

"That was them," said Wolf with a smile, "and when I found out later, I was so proud of them…"

"Anyway," continued Jackal, "a month before it became time for the four of _us _to face decommissioning, we were offered a deal that had never been made before… The Supreme Commander at the time said we could continue as the first entire team of Privileged Decommissioned Status operatives…"

He paused again. The five members of Sector V were taking this all in…

"But we refused…" said Jackal.

"Why the crud did you do that?" exclaimed Numbuh One.

At that moment, the food came to the table.

"Thank you," said Jackal. "To answer your question, Numbuh Four, we wouldn't do it if our leader was left out. We told them we'd only do so if he was given his memories back and allowed to lead us again. Think about it – if all of you were given the opportunity except Numbuh One, would you take it?"

They all paused. He had them there.

"That would be kinda…" started Numbuh Three with a sad look.

"He has a point," said Numbuh Five. "Teamwork is what keeps the team together!"

"Anyway," continued Jackal, "the leaders of Global Command at the time reviewed his file… and they found that over the past year, he had actually been courteous and respectful to children – never once referring to them as 'snot-nosed brats'."

"We get that a lot…" sighed Numbuh Two.

"We know," chuckled Jackal, "we know a _lot _of teenagers, seeing as we have to consort with them. Anyway, they took a vote, and they agreed to it…"

"It was awfully strange how it happened…" muttered Wolf. "To me. See, school had gotten out, and I was working my new summer job at the sushi bar at the mall. It was a slow afternoon that day… I think the Krispy Kreme was having a sale. Anyway, two boys and one girl in strange clothing come up to me and tell me to come with them – I tell them I have to wait for my break. Then they say…"

"Wolf…" muttered Jackal.

"Sorry," sighed Wolf. "I tend to ramble. Before you know it, the Kids Next Door had the first whole team of Privileged Ones – we left our Numbuhs behind, took on code names, and renamed ourselves the Dogs of War, after a famous quote from Shakespeare's _Julius Caesar. _'Cry havoc and let slip the dogs of war!'

"And since then, whenever Global Command has needed anyone for heavy warfare, we're willing to respond…"

He paused again. He bit into his cheeseburger.

"There's one thing I don't get," asked Numbuh Two. "When someone's DNA is removed from the Code Module, it can never be put back in – that's why my little brother couldn't be reinstated after he quit to save Global Command…"

"None of the Privileged One's are in the Module," answered Wolf. "We have to keep ourselves secret, even from other KND agents, and even from each other. We were surprised that Numbuh 362 told you about us – this is rare…"

"So," he asked, "what exactly does Sector V need us for?"

"Well," stated Numbuh One. "We heard you know something about something called the Dark Hand…"

Wolf and Jackal looked at each other for a minute.

The silently chewed.

Eventually, Wolf spoke up.

"Yeah," he said, "we know a little about them…

"Strange that we're discussing this over hamburgers…"

**0**

**0**

**0**

_**If ever there was a time to end a chapter, that time is now.**_

_**You've met the Dogs of War, and in our next chapter, our three teams put their collective powers to use on unraveling the mystery that surrounds them. Each team's master of espionage – Numbuh Five, Bubbles, and Coyote – team up to investigate the mysterious Dark Hand, in a chapter I call "Infiltration". It's coming up soon. **_


	5. Infiltration

_First, the answers to some questions…_

_No, the names of the Dogs of War were not inspired by the gang of villains from "Gargoyles"._

_No, this version of The Dark Hand has nothing to do with the organization from "Jackie Chan Adventures"._

_And I'm sorry it took so long to get this new chapter up. I've been preoccupied._

_And so…_

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**now loading**

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**CHAPTER FIVE**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**Infiltration**

**0 0 0 0 0**

Wolf and Jackal chewed in silence for a few minutes…

"Yeah," said Wolf, slowly, "we know a few things about The Dark Hand…"

"You have to tell us," urged Numbuh One. "They somehow got ahold of a sword that belonged the original Numbuh One… And now Cree is with them… There's no telling how dangerous…"

"Oh, they're dangerous, all right," muttered Wolf. "Let me tell you the story about our mess with them…"

He sipped his soda.

"I was nine years old, the rest of my team was eight… We hadn't been in the KND all that long. And that was when Wacky Jack opened his joint in our hometown…"

"Wacky Jack?" asked Numbuh Four, curiously.

"Ever hear of Ronald McDonald?" asked Jackal. "Wacky Jack was sort of his evil twin. He opened a fast food restaurant called Wacky Jack's Burger Bonanza. The hamburgers weren't all that great, but they had a special ingredient in them – one with children's names on it…"

"Don't tell me he wanted to poison kids!" exclaimed Numbuh Two.

"Poison them?" snickered Wolf. "Far from it. What he put in these burgers made them _addictive _to kids. _Very _addictive. His plan was to sponge as much money out of children by getting them hooked on the junk food. If his plan had succeeded, his fast food chain would have spread like wildfire, opened in every city nationwide, and children would have wasted their allowances on his third-rate beef…"

"The Kids Next Door have had no luck with fast food places," mumbled Numbuh Five. "Remind us to tell you about the place that Numbuh Three put out of business…"

Numbuh Three giggled. That whole situation was kind of funny when you looked back on it…

"Anyway," continued Wolf, "we found out about his scheme, and went to confront him – and found ourselves in the fight of our lives! His restaurant was an apparent fortress under the surface – he must have been plotting other stuff, but we didn't know exactly what.

"We defeated his forces, but Wacky Jack himself got away. We didn't have time to snoop through his files – they all deleted themselves when he fled. We haven't seen him since. Luckily, we were able to concoct an antidote for the addiction."

"But it didn't stop there," sighed Jackal. "We soon learned that Wacky Jack wouldn't take defeat lying down. He had thoughts of revenge. Three days after we faced him, our Treehouse was invaded by a group of assassins…

"Assassins calling themselves The Dark Hand…

"…and they were armed with magic…

"…_black_ magic…"

There was a long pause in the room. Then Wolf spoke up again.

"We thought the fight with Wacky Jack was the fight of our life… We were wrong. These assassins were ruthless… relentless. Still, we knew a few tricks ourselves. We wouldn't go down without a struggle…

"But they didn't know the meaning of surrender. The fight lasted… I'd say ten hours. The assassins started to fall – vanishing into smoke as they did – and by the time the last one was defeated, all of us were bruised, battered, and calling for medical support from the nearest other Sector."

He sighed.

"We never saw them again. We're older now, and we probably could handle them again with no problem – but they likely were the tip of the proverbial iceberg…"

He signaled to the waiter.

"Check please!"

Numbuh One thought for a minute.

"Well," he said somberly, "if you don't want to help, we can take the lead you gave us and…"

"We'll help," assured Wolf. "And I'm sure the other members of the Dogs of War feel the same way. The Dark Hand almost killed us…

"And we want to find out who was responsible…"

"Well then," said Numbuh One with a smile, "why don't you gather the rest of your team and come to our Treehouse at 4PM tomorrow? We'll pool our information on this info and hopefully get some leads…"

"You got it Numbuh One," said Wolf. "The Dogs of War stand ready to act…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Sector P had gone home to sleep, and most of Sector V had turned in as well.

But Numbuh One had a few other things to do before he went to sleep.

The Dogs had only given them one lead on The Dark Hand – Wacky Jack. He'd never heard of the guy, but then, according to Wolf and Jackal, he was only three when he had implemented his fast food scheme.

So he decided to search the mainframe for information on the guy.

He typed in "Wacky Jack" on the search engine. After about a minute, a beeping was heard…

**MATCH FOUND**

The image of a goofy-looking clown came up on the screen. He looked harmless enough, but if Nigel Uno knew one thing, it was that looks were deceiving.

He read the file:

**WACKY JACK**

**Real Name: **Jacob Apophis

**Age:** In his thirties

**Nationality:** Middle East (Most likely Egyptian)

**Known Relatives:** None

**Ethnicity:** Presumably Arabic

**KND Status:** Wanted by Global Command for various crimes.

**KNDanger Level:** 8.6

**Mental Status:** Most likely a sociopath

**KND Related Crimes:** Using an addictive substance that targeted children for the purpose of monetary gain

**Skills:** Genius in chemicals, child psychology, and robotics; expert hand-to-hand combatant, skilled in engineering and business; there is a possibility that Apophis has knowledge of the occult as well.

**Other Notes: **"Wacky Jack" Apophis has not been seen in years, and his current location is unknown. If seen, use extreme caution in apprehension, because he is much more formidable than he looks. He is always well-armed and surrounded by bodyguards, some human and some robotic. One team may not be enough to bring him in.

Numbuh One scratched his chin for a minute…

He quickly typed up an e-mail addressed to all earthbound Sectors:

_To Whom it may Concern:_

_Dear Whom,_

_If you have any information on the whereabouts of this individual, call Numbuh One at Sector V. Information may be vital to the success of our latest endeavor._

_Sincerely,_

_Numbuh One_

He attached Wacky Jack's file to the e-mail and sent it out.

Then he turned off the mainframe and went to turn in himself.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

The next afternoon, the Powerpuff Girls arrived with Snowball at Sector V headquarters.

They had heard the whole conversation, of course, but now would be the chance for all introductions to finally be made.

"So," asked Blossom, "when do they arrive?"

"Any minute now," replied Numbuh One. "Numbuh Five, did you turn off the anti-teenager defenses?"

"For the fourth time, YES!" exclaimed Five.

"**INCOMING CRAFT," **announced the computer.

A voice came over the loudspeaker.

"Dogs of War to Sector V," said a voice. "Requesting permission to land."

Numbuh One picked up a transmitter.

"Roger," he said. "We'll meet you in the docking bay."

They all ran (or flew) to the hanger, and a ship flew in. It was apparently a S.K.Y.C.L.A.W., but the front of it had been painted with the visage of a vicious dog, much like airplanes had during World War II.

"Wow," exclaimed Numbuh Two. "These guys have style…"

The door opened, and the five members of the group disembarked. Wolf and Jackal came out first, followed by the other members of the Dogs.

"Hi guys," said Wolf, shaking Numbuh One's hand. "You know Jackal… allow me to introduce our combat expert, Dingo…"

Dingo waved.

"…our espionage expert, Coyote…"

Coyote gave a thumbs up.

"…and our technology expert, Fox. He's the guy you have to thank for Hippy Hop, by the way…"

Numbuh Three squealed.

"REALY?" she shrieked. "Oh, I… I…"

She ran up and hugged Fox.

"Heh, heh… thanks," chuckled Fox. "I can see he's in good hands. Just let me see him before I leave today… I never really got a chance to see the completed project – not that the mechas we built on the same design are anything to sneeze at…"

"Ahem…" said Numbuh One. "And let me introduce the ones who will be assisting us in this endeavor… Sector V."

The Dogs looked at the Powerpuff Girls (who were hovering in the air) and Snowball.

Coyote turned to Dingo and Fox.

"Well," he said with a shrug, "mom and dad always did say they wanted us to meet new and interesting people."

"They may look petite…" said Numbuh Five.

"But they pack a big punch!" laughed Numbuh Four.

"That's right!" exclaimed Buttercup. "Any of you wanna arm wrestle?"

"HA!" laughed Dingo. "Are you kidding? No one beats old Dingo at arm wrestling!"

He put his arm down on a crate. Buttercup grinned and put her own arm down.

"Ready?" said Dingo with a smile.

"Ready!" answered Buttercup.

"GO!" shouted Dingo.

Buttercup flicked her arm and flipped her opponent over!

As Dingo pulled himself off the ground, Wolf spoke up.

"Remind me to stay on your good side!" he chuckled.

"Uhm, people," spoke up Numbuh One. "If we haven't forgotten, all of us are here on business…"

As they walked into the mainframe room with Numbuh One in the lead, he confessed that they hadn't much to go on.

"Our only lead at this point is this Wacky Jack character," he said. "Unfortunately, Jack could literally be anywhere – he seems to have slipped out of sight since…"

Then he noticed the computer screen – there was an e-mail message.

And it was from Numbuh 309.

The Sector V operatives knew about Numbuh 309. He was a double agent among the Kids Next Door. His usual MO was to pose as a villain in order to infiltrate enemy organizations that recruited children. He had over a dozen aliases – and all of them were useful in many areas.

Case in point, he was useful in finding out things that only criminals and villains were privy to.

Numbuh One opened the e-mail.

_To Numbuh One,_

_I was able to find the information you require from an underworld source. Wacky Jack is holed up in a fortress on one of the unpopulated Galapagos Islands. I'm not sure what can be found there, but I have the coordinates. You'll find them below. Happy hunting._

_Sincerely,_

_Numbuh 309_

"Well, this is something," muttered Numbuh One. "Numbuh Five, send out a S.K.Y.S.E.A.R.C.H.E.R. with these coordinates!"

"On it, chief!" affirmed Numbuh Five.

Five minutes later, a small rocket shot out from Sector V headquarters…

After achieving low Earth orbit, solar panels unfolded, lenses appeared, and a speaker came on:

"**Communications system online," **it said. **"S.K.Y.S.E.A.R.C.H.E.R. is operational."**

**(Kids Next Door S.K.Y.S.E.A.R.C.H.E.R.: Small Kompact Youngster's Satellite Searches Earthbound Areas Recording Camera Hunted Exactness Reliably)**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

After about a half-hour, the S.K.Y.S.E.A.R.C.H.E.R. had locked in on the coordinates, and the three teams saw an image of the location…

And they were intimidated by what they saw.

On the screen in front of them, in the middle of a jungle, was a fortress, made of what appeared to be solid concrete and steel. It gave off an ugly impression – whoever built it apparently sacrificed aesthetic for defense.

"Good grief!" exclaimed Numbuh Four. "Whoever built that place doesn't want anybody getting in!"

Numbuh One thought for a minute.

"A direct attack on that place would likely be suicide," he mused. "There's no telling what nasty surprises Jack has waiting…"

"Our mechas could likely storm the place," answered Wolf, "but Jack would see them coming from a mile away, and bail out before we got there."

"Clearly," muttered Numbuh One, "an espionage mission is in order… Someone needs to sneak in and find out anything he can."

"No problem!" answered Fox, pointing to his brother. "They have yet to make a place that Coyote can't sneak into!"

"I dunno…" muttered Coyote. "This place looks as secure as the New York Federal Reserve… I might not be able to do it alone…"

"Count Numbuh Five in too," said Numbuh Five. "I've snuck into Father's mansion more than once – I think I can handle this place."

"Any other volunteers?" asked Numbuh One.

"Well, uhm…" sighed Bubbles.

She blushed.

"Bubbles got a perfect score on the espionage exam during training!" exclaimed Blossom. "She'll be perfect!"

"Okay," said Numbuh One. "Then we have a plan. Numbuh Five, Numbuh 218 and Coyote will infiltrate the base and try to find some useful information. We'll set the plan for tomorrow morning at nine AM.

"Everyone be here on time…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

The next morning, a crew of fourteen took off from Sector V headquarters aboard the M.O.S.Q.U.I.T.T.O.H. Destination: the Galapagos.

**(Kids Next Door M.O.S.Q.U.I.T.T.O.H.: Massively Oversized Super Quick Undercover Icy Treat Transport On Heliojets)**

As most of the three teams directed the activity from the cockpit, Coyote, Bubbles, and Numbuh Five were in the hanger planning strategies.

"So Coyote," asked Numbuh Five, "if we should be discovered, what sort of henchmen does Wacky Jack use?"

"Well, when we fought him the first time, he used mostly robots," answered Coyote, "but that was seven years ago, and he may have changed tactics."

"Hee, hee, robots," chuckled Bubbles. "Blossom, Buttercup, and I have taken down robots the size of buildings!"

"Well, we aren't _supposed _to get into a fight this time," reminded Numbuh Five. "We get in, find whatever we can find, and then skedaddle before they realize we're there."

"And we pray that two things don't happen," mentioned Coyote. "One, Jack doesn't realize that the Dogs are on his case – he might still want revenge. Two…"

He paused.

"We pray that his spellcasting assassins aren't there waiting for us…"

At that moment, Numbuh Three came in pushing a cart.

"Hi ya'all!" she laughed. "Made breakfast for our three volunteers!"

"Well, awfully nice of you, Kuki…" answered Coyote.

Numbuh Three opened a set of trays, revealing blueberry pancakes, bacon, hash browns, and orange juice.

"Who says airline food has to be bad?" she giggled. "Eat up! You're gonna need all your strength!"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

"How far are we to our destination, Numbuh Two?" asked Numbuh One.

"Fifty miles, give or take," answered the pilot.

"Okay then," ordered Numbuh One, "switch on the cloaking device. We don't want them knowing we're coming."

He picked up a microphone.

"Infiltration team, are you ready?"

"As ready as we'll ever be, chief," answered Numbuh Five.

"Good," replied Numbuh One, "we'll be landing one mile from the fortress. Numbuh 218 can fly you and Coyote the rest of the way, and I take it you're trained enough to avoid detection.

"Be incredibly careful, folks. If you get in trouble and get captured… Well, I really don't know how we're going to get you out of that thing."

"Don't worry, Nigel," said Coyote. "We can improvise if things go wrong…"

"I hope so," answered Numbuh One.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

The M.O.S.Q.U.I.T.T.O.H. silently landed in a secluded spot in the jungle, its cloaking device still working (there was a good reason that the U in its name stood for "Undercover"). After a round of "good lucks" from the three teams, Numbuh Five, Bubbles, and Coyote disembarked, each of them carrying satchels over their shoulders.

"Don't take too long," warned Numbuh One.

"We'll take as short a time as possible," said Coyote. "But if you're attacked, it likely means we've been discovered, so save yourselves."

"If that happens, we'll come back with larger forces," assured Wolf.

"Deal," said Numbuh Five. "Now let's get started."

Bubbles gently lifted her two partners by the underarms, and flew through the jungle slowly. As she expected, there were security cameras here and there – but all three of them knew how to avoid them the eventually came to the huge clearing where the enormous fortress was built…

Apparently, no guards patrolled the grounds.

"Hold up," said Coyote. "No visible outer gates usually mean that there's an _invisible _one…"

He took a device out of his satchel that looked like a small metal disk and tossed it on the ground. Mist started to pour out of it…

And just as he suspected, the mist revealed a barrier of laser beams, apparently generated by fake trees surrounding the compound.

They looked up. Weapons were aimed at the area above the gate. Flying over would be too risky…

"Okay," whispered Numbuh Five. "This is gonna be tricky…"

She studied the gate, and then leapt up, leaping through a gap, and propelling through another one, jumping through the gate with agile grace.

"Nice…" said Coyote, giving her a thumbs-up.

He blew on his hands, and then repeated the trick, leaping though the gaps.

Bubbles had a little easier time, being able to levitate – she simply worked her way through the gaps in the gate.

"Well, part one is clear…" she whispered.

She paused.

She looked over the ground.

"Guys!" she exclaimed. "No one move a step further! Land mines!"

"How can you tell?" asked Coyote.

"X-ray vision," she answered. "Here, I'll carry you over them."

Bubbles lifted them up, and they slowly levitated just above the ground, keeping out of sight of the cameras once again. They got to the rear of the fortress…

But there were no doors.

"Hmm," muttered Coyote. "Oftentimes, the roof is a good way to gain access… It has relatively low security compared to the rest of a structure…"

"Good point," said Numbuh Five.

Bubbles carried them up to the roof, and they saw just what they needed – a large ventilation shaft. It was sealed off by a large grate, but they knew that nine times out of ten, ventilation shafts on roofs didn't have alarms. Nonetheless, Bubbles did a quick check with her vision for any such security devices.

Once she did so, Five took a small pen out of her satchel, and started cutting through the grate with a laser from it.

"We're good to go," she said as it came off.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

The three spies crawled single file through the duct. Here and there they peeked out through grates – and saw guards. Strange guards, clothed in midnight blue cloaks, carrying odd weapons. There was no need to tangle with them at the moment, so they kept looking for something interesting.

Eventually, they saw a large room with a huge visual screen.

Then they saw someone come in. At first, he looked like one of the guards – albeit dressed a little fancier than the others – but then he lowered his hood, and Coyote gasped.

"That's him!" he whispered. "Wacky Jack. Even without the makeup, I'd know that face anywhere…"

Jack punched in a code next to the console, and another cloaked figure came onto the screen.

"What have you to report, Apophis?" said the figure.

"The Galapagos station is nearly set, master," said Jack. "It should serve your needs for the upcoming ritual."

"Excellent," said the voice. "You'll be pleased to know that we have obtained a new ally – you needn't worry about the Kids Next Door interfering with anything this time. She's accustomed to dealing with them."

"Cree…" whispered Numbuh Five.

"Hold down the fort," said the voice. "When the time comes, the Kids Next Door will tremble…"

The image vanished. Wacky Jack turned and left the room.

"Let's get down there!" squeaked Bubbles, after they had left.

Numbuh Five removed the grate, and they lowered themselves into the room.

"Galapagos station?" quizzed Coyote. "As in, there are more of these fortresses?"

"Ritual?" asked Numbuh Five. "What are they planning?"

"This is seriously scary…" muttered Bubbles.

Coyote turned on the screen and a menu popped up.

"Well," he said, "this isn't a very important computer, but maybe I can find something out…"

He punched in some commands. Hacking into computers came second nature to him.

"Here," he said. "I found a map of the fortress…"

He paused.

"And it seems the computer room is only a short walk from here. This way…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Carefully, the three spies made their way down a long corridor. At a side corridor, Numbuh Five motioned for them to pause.

She took a mirror out of her satchel and held it out in front of the side corridor. In it, they saw two guards in front of a door that said **"COMPUTER"**.

"Only two of them…" said Bubbles.

"It only takes one to raise an alarm…" warned Coyote.

"Don' worry," said Numbuh Five, reaching into her satchel, "Numbuh Five's got it covered!"

She took out something… A small, wind-up tank made of green plastic.

"We're going to need more than a toy tank…" whispered Coyote.

"Just watch," said Numbuh Five with a smile. She wound it up…

She set it down on the floor, and it whirred forward, rolling towards the two guards…

They took notice of it of course. They looked in surprise as it rolled up to them – and aimed its cannon.

"HA, HA, HA, HA, HA, HA!" laughed one of them.

"A toy tank!" laughed the other.

"Oh, look!" chuckled the first, "it's going to _attack _us!"

Then the toy shot a huge cloud of mist out of its cannon, enveloping the two guards! They gasped…

And when the mist subsided, they were frozen in surprise – and frozen in ice!

"Good work, Abigail!" exclaimed Coyote. "Freezing gas? How long will that hold them?"

"They'll come to in about three hours," answered Numbuh Five, "with bad headaches. For now…"

She turned towards a closet at the side.

"Bubbles, why don't you put 'em in there?"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

The door did indeed lead to a computer. A sparkling clean room with a flawless console and all the latest technology was in the room. No books or manuals were present, but certainly, some information had to be heard on hard drive.

"Okay…" said Coyote. "Bubbles, how good are your ears?"

"I can hear a fly cough from clear across town!" she exclaimed.

"Good," he replied. "Listen at the door and let me know if anyone comes. Abigail, let's see what secrets this hard drive has in it…"

As Bubbles stood by the door, Coyote turned on the computer. The screen came up, and he looked over the files. A file called **"Secure" **was there, and it was obvious that info was inside it that they could use.

"Can you hack into it?" asked Numbuh Five.

Coyote looked over the computer's security system.

"Hmm…" he pondered. "Twelve different layers of encryption, five different coding styles, seven failsafes... Give me three minutes."

He started to type into the computer.

"You're that good at hacking?" asked Numbuh Five.

"Hey, when I was in Global Command, I practically invented or modified every espionage and infiltration technique that they teach at the Arctic base," answered Coyote. "Well, maybe that's an exaggeration, but I've yet to see anything I can't sneak into… the secret is, always be careful, and never get sloppy."

A beeping came from the computer.

"Bingo!" he said.

A text came up on the screen…

Well, sort of a text. It was printed in some strange sort of alphabet that they couldn't read.

"What is this?" asked Coyote. "Arabic?"

"Numbuh Five would recognize Arabic," answered Numbuh Five. "I've never seen this before…"

Coyote took a zip disk out of his satchel.

"I'll copy the whole file onto disk," he said. "We'll translate it later…"

"**Downloading," **said the computer. **"One minute remaining."**

"That's it…" said Coyote.

After about a minute, the computer said, **"File done."**

Then Bubbles said, "Guys!"

They turned to her.

"Wacky Jack!" she whispered. "I hear him coming!"

"And we're cornered!" exclaimed Numbuh Five.

Coyote grabbed the disk and then shut off the computer manually.

"Bubbles!" he whispered. "You and Abigail see if you can hide on the ceiling!"

"What about you?" asked Numbuh Five.

"Now you see me…" said Coyote.

He pushed a button on his belt. He faded into a blur, and became invisible.

"…now you don't!"

"Personal cloaking device," sighed Numbuh Five. "Numbuh Five could use one of those…"

There was no time to discuss _that. _Bubbles thought quickly. She grabbed Numbuh Five and lifted her up against the ceiling… And then held her in place between herself and the ceiling.

The door opened, and Wacky Jack came in, accompanied by two other guards.

"Those fools are going to be sorry they were ever born when I catch them," snarled Jack. "They know what happens to guards who desert a post…"

_Don't look up… _pleaded Bubbles. _Don't look up…_

"Everything seems to be in order sir," hissed one of the guards.

"Yeah?" snapped Jack. "I've been having a funny feeling for the last hour… It's as if someone I know is somewhere close…"

He paused.

"We'd best not take chances," he said. "You… check this computer for any signs of tampering. You… I want this whole fortress on blue alert. Something strange is going on…"

"Yes sir!" they both said.

Jack and one of the guards left the room. The other sat down at the keyboard.

After he had been there for a minute, he felt a sharp pain on his shoulder and fell unconscious.

Coyote appeared.

"We need to get out of here guys," he said, nervously. "Any ideas?"

"Numbuh Five suggests creating a diversion," said Numbuh Five.

"Diversion…" said Bubbles. "I've got something for that – but first we have to find a large group of these goons…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Five minutes later, they had found what they were looking for – a large lounge with about ten of the robed henchmen was ahead of them.

"Okay," said Bubbles with a grin, "be prepared to run in the opposite direction when this thing goes off…"

She pulled a small object out of her satchel. It looked like a single roller-skate with a small tank on it.

**(Kids Next Door R.O.L.L.A.S.K.A.T.E.: Rolling Object Launches Lard And Slimy Ketchup Around Totally Excessively)**

She set the weapon down and pulled a cord. It rolled down towards the lounge…

Everyone turned and looked as the R.O.L.L.A.S.K.A.T.E. rolled into the center of the room…

And then, with a loud BLAMPH! it exploded, splattering ketchup all over the room!

One of the henchmen grabbed a speaker.

"We're under attack!" he shouted. "Intruders in the base! Everyone to section 7B!"

Of course, by that time, the three intruders were fleeing as fast as possible _from _section 7B. Using the knowledge of the map they had gained from the first computer, they were headed for the main entrance.

Numbuh Five pulled her communicator out of her pocket.

"Numbuh One!" she shouted. "Have the ship ready to pick us up in five minutes!"

"Roger!" answered Numbuh One. "Five minutes!"

She pulled her soda-bottle blaster off of her back as they headed for the main doors.

And as they saw the large, steel doors in front of them, they also saw three of the robed freaks in their way…

"I don't know how you brats got in here," said one of them, "but don't think you're getting out…"

They reached under their robes, and pulled out long swords…

…swords which glowed with blue light!

A look of terror crossed Coyote's face…

He paused.

"Coyote?" said Numbuh Five.

"Bubbles…" he stammered, "try to get the door open. We'll handle these freaks."

"I'll start it off for you!" cheered Bubbles.

She flew down the hallway, and bowled past the three thugs. They lost their balance for a second…

Numbuh Five opened fire, and blasted one of them in the gut! He screamed.

As he was recovering, the other two charged at Coyote. He drew two of his daggers and hurled them at their feet – they exploded, sending the two of them hurtling back!

Bubbles strained against the door – it was well built, but it wasn't strong enough to resist Chemical X – enhanced muscles. She quickly tore a hole in the door.

And just in time; angry shouts were starting to come from down the hallway!

Bubbles turned around. She grabbed Numbuh Five, and then Coyote, and then flew them both through the hole in the door.

As the M.O.S.Q.U.I.T.T.O.H. appeared over the horizon, they made their way for it. A hatch opened up, and Bubbles rushed them inside.

"Numbuh Two!" shouted Numbuh One. "Full speed to somewhere other than here!"

"You got it!" shouted Numbuh Two.

The craft sped away into the sky.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Two hours later…

The Sector V Treehouse….

"Coyote," asked Numbuh Five, "why were you so scared at the sight of those swords?"

Coyote sighed.

"They were…" he muttered. "They were the same type of weapons the Dark Hand used to attack us with. Fortunately, they didn't seem to be nearly as formidable…"

Meanwhile, Numbuh One, Blossom, Numbuh Two, and Wolf were trying to decipher the strange text of the file that the three of them had recovered."

"This is weird," muttered Numbuh Two. "I've cross referenced every code, language, and hieroglyphic system in our databases, and we don't have anything even similar! How'd they even type this on a computer?"

"There's only one thing to do?" answered Numbuh One. "We'll send it to Numbuh 362 – the databases at Moonbase are more extensive…

"This file is hiding a secret, and we have to know what it is…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Meanwhile, in a dark place…

Charon was standing beside his most loyal companion – a rather large female wolf whom he named Persephone. Cree was next to him as well.

In front of him was a deep pit, at the bottom of which were about five younger wolves.

Hanging above the pit, by his ankles, was Jack Apophis.

Charon sighed.

"One night when I was a boy," he started, "I neglected to close the gates surrounding my family's home, something I did every night for the past five years. That night, wolves snuck into the yard, and we lost five sheep.

"The next morning, before my father whipped me, he only had one thing to say:

"Son, you're a big disappointment to me."

He looked up at Jack.

"Apophis," he hissed. "Because of your lax security, the Kids Next Door have obtained a copy of our plans. While I doubt that they will be able to translate them, I'm not stupid – they might indeed find a way.

"You realize then, the need for this punishment, right?"

"Yes, Lord Charon…" groaned Jack.

Charon gestured, and the chain holding Jack lowered, dropping him into the pit. The five wolves barked happily…

"Your cubs are quite feisty today, eh Persephone?" said Charon with a smile, petting the wolf by his side.

He turned to a henchman.

"Take him out after half an hour, if he's still breathing," he ordered.

He walked away, motioning for Cree to follow.

"So now what, boss?" she asked.

"Well, it's clear that those sorry excuses for teenagers that call themselves the dogs of war are in on this," answered Charon. "So we're going to test them…"

He smiled.

"Tell me Cree, what do you think about a little blind destruction? Anarchy without purpose. Complete and total chaos?"

Cree shrugged.

"Everything in moderation," she replied.

"Well," said Charon, "I know some fellows who might make excellent recruits for such a situation – they're powerful, ruthless, and not too bright. All I must do is spring them from their confinement…"

He rubbed his hands together.

"And once I do, we'll test our mutual foes with a little something I've been saving for… just such an occasion…"

**0**

**0**

**0**

_**Coming up next:**_

**_The wicked Charon releases three of the Powerpuff Girls' most lethal enemies! That's right! The Rowdyruff Boys are back! What help will the evil wizard give them? Not telling, but if you liked F.E.N.R.I.R., wait until next chapter, when F.E.N.R.I.R. is joined by the second of the Dogs' incredible mechas!_**

_**You ain't seen nothin' yet. Be here!**_


	6. Boys With Toys

_First, before anyone asks…_

_Yes, I saw "Operation M.A.U.R.I.C.E." and thus I know that Mr. Warburton has adopted for the true show the same idea that I came up with – that a few special Kids Next Door secretly remain members after turning thirteen. Please do not accuse the producers of the show of stealing my idea – this is obviously a coincidence, and they thought it up by themselves. I doubt they even read fanfiction._

_Also, I **loved** "Operation M.A.U.R.I.C.E." I figure that if Mr. Warburton came up with the same idea that I did, I must be doing something right._

_And if there's enough demand for it, Maurice himself might appear in this fanfic. It isn't often you see original African American heroes these days, and male African American heroes are rarer still. _

_By the way, at the end of this chapter, I'll be starting something called Kid Trivia, which will have some fun facts about the Kids Next Door and the Powerpuff Girls. I'll try to have one for each chapter. But for now…_

_On with the "show"!_

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**now loading**

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**CHAPTER SIX**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**Boys With Toys**

**0 0 0 0 0**

Numbuh 362 studied a computer screen, while the members of Sector V, Sector P, and the Dogs of War watched from the Sector V headquarters.

The computer screen she was viewing had the text that Coyote, Numbuh Five and Bubbles had stolen from Jack's base.

"Hmm!" she mused.

There was a long pause.

"Can you make it out, boss?" asked Numbuh Two.

"Hmm!" she said again.

There was a pause again.

"It's definitely…" she stated.

"Yes?" they all said, eagerly.

"It's definitely writing of some sort," she said.

They all sighed.

"Truly, people, I am stumped," she said, inputting a command. "This isn't Greek, Celtic, Welsh, Old English, Babylonian… If not for the fact that several of the characters were used several times, I'd say it was something a kindergartner wrote for fun…"

She hit the enter key.

"But we're not licked yet. I'm running this through the Memory File…"

"Memory File?" asked Numbuh Four. "What's that?"

Numbuh 362 chuckled.

"No sense in not telling you," she answered. "When operatives are decommissioned, the machine doesn't just wipe their memories of KND activity – it stores them. The memory file can access the activities of any former member of the organization.

"It's something that can be useful at times."

She closed the computer.

"It will take a day or two for the scan to complete, but now every KND operative EVER is now working on trying to figure out what this writing is. If anyone at all who was ever a member could recognize this writing, we'll find out what it is."

She got up off of her chair and walked over to a table where the sword they had traded Cree for was lying.

"In the meantime," she added, "you'll all be happy to know that the original Numbuh One's sword is growing in power, now that it's back among the Kids Next Door…"

"Wow!" squeaked Bubbles.

"So when will it choose who it wants to hold it?" asked Blossom.

"It's hard to say," muttered Numbuh 362. "But I think we can safely reach one conclusion…"

"What's that, chief?" asked Numbuh Five.

"Well…" said Numbuh 362, reaching for the hilt.

As she touched it, she screamed as electricity coursed through her!

"CHIEF!" yelled Numbuh One.

Numbuh 362 got up, her hair standing on end.

"…we can safely assume that it doesn't want _me,_" she continued. "Anyhoo, if you get anymore leads, follow them. Until you hear from me, continue as always."

"Hey, boss," laughed Numbuh Three. "Why don't you ask Numbuh 86 to try to take it?"

Numbuh 362 chuckled.

"I already did, Numbuh Three," she answered. "I haven't had such a good laugh in months. End transmission."

The screen blanked out.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

The next day…

The Kids Next Door Arctic Base.

Isolated.

Secure.

Cold.

In one place, colder than most.

In one part of the prison, cut off from the other wings, was a cell containing three cryogenic chambers, each one holding a _very _dangerous prisoner.

The story behind the Rowdyruff Boys was a long and chaotic one – these creatures were big on chaos.

All superheroes have an archenemy, and the Powerpuff Girls were no exception. That enemy was Mojo Jojo, a chimpanzee with a Chemical-X enhanced intelligence. He had several times tried to take over Townsville with his diabolic machines of destruction, only to be beaten up every time and end up licking his wounds in jail.

One day, while licking said wounds, he decided that he needed a complete change of tactics. He called Professor Utonium, and tricked him into revealing that the ingredients that made up his foes were Sugar, Spice, and Everything Nice. It was a simple concoction, but he decided it was too "girlish". He started wondering, if that was what made super-powered little girls, what could make super powered little _boys_?

Using the resources he could find in prison, he gathered Snips, Snails, and Puppy Dog Tails. He didn't have access to Chemical-X, but he found that the water in the toilet of his prison cell was just as potent. On a night when the stars were in the right alignment, he completed the unholy experiment…

…creating the three Rowdyruff Boys. Taking the names Brick, Boomer, and Butch, these boys were polar opposites of the Girls, as rotten as the Girls were sweet. Their powers were similar, but far more destructive.

Fortunately for Mojo, they weren't very bright, and were easily manipulated. He convinced them to break him out of jail and then go hunting for the Powerpuff Girls. The resulting battle turned the city inside out and upside down, and ended with the Powerpuff Girls battered, bruised… and beaten.

It was their friend Ms. Bellum who gave them the way to defeat them. She realized that little boys were defenseless against the charm and niceness of little girls. The Powerpuffs found their foes, and when the Rowdyruffs charged to attack, the Girls greeted them each with a friendly kiss.

It did the job. The three villains suffered a lethal dose of cooties, and exploded. Mojo found himself back in jail, and for a while, Townsville thought they had seen the last of the Boys…

They were wrong…

Mojo was the Girl's most persistent enemy, but the Girls had more dangerous ones. Likely their most dangerous foe, in terms of sheer power, was a certain demon who they had faced several times. This creature was so evil, that no one dared ever speak his name aloud. For purposes of identification, everyone called him… Well, that's what they called him, Him.

And Him was another villain who constantly got tired of every villain in town – himself included – failing to defeat the Powerpuff Girls. Remembering how the Rowdyruff Boys were likely the ones who came closest, he used his dark powers to recreate them. And even worse, he created a spell that gave them a "cootie shot" making them immune to the Girls' kisses. (He claimed to have gotten the spell off of the internet – it seems you can get _anything _from the internet these days.)

The Boys challenged the Girls to a rematch, and the Girls were trashed even worse than the first time. But the Girls managed to find another weakness, and sent them fleeing. But they tangled with the Girls several times after that – it seemed the juvenile delinquents would divide their time between beating up on their foes, and taking their aggression out on the city with their demented ideas of what was "fun".

It all seemed to come to an end when the Powerpuff Girls teamed up with the Kids Next Door. Father made an unholy alliance with Him, and Him recruited the Boys for Father's plans to take over the Moonbase. In their quest to rescue their headquarters, Sector V and the Powerpuff Girls fought the rowdy Rowdyruffs, and the Boyswere defeated again.

Knowing they had to restrain them until the Moonbase was retaken, the heroes dragged the unconscious Rowdyruffs to a cryogenic lab, where Numbuh Two used the technology to put them on ice. Once the emergency was over, Numbuh 362 judged that the Boys were far too dangerous to ever wake up. So she ordered them left on ice and transferred to the Arctic Base.

The failsafe that Numbuh Two had left on the three cryogenic chambers was still in place. Only someone with a certain genetic code – his – could free them from the icy prison.

Thus, the job of guarding this cell was a rather cushy job. No one expected anyone to break out or in.

Currently at the post, was an operative whose Numbuh was 228, and he was rather depressed. He had good reason – he was only four months away from his thirteenth birthday. He wondered what would happen after Numbuh 86 got her hands on him… When he tried to remember what he had been doing for the last seven years, what _would _he remember? Did the device implant false memories, or would he simply have gaps in his memory that he wouldn't be able to explain?

As he was thinking this, a glow appeared in front of him…

"Huh?" he said, putting down his magazine.

He turned towards the glowing light.

It wasn't just a light. He had seen enough science fiction to know what it was…

It was a portal…

A tall figure stepped out…

"You!" he shouted.

He lifted his weapon. "Put your hands in the air!"

"Oh, please," said Cree. She pointed her finger and a bolt of lightning shot from it, striking the twelve-year old in the chest.

As Cree walked towards the three pods, Numbuh 228 painfully reached into his uniform, and took out a pad with a button on it. He punched it.

An alarm sounded through the whole base.

"Oh sure," said Cree, sarcastically. "Sound the alarm. I'll just be a minute anyway…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Half an hour later, Numbuh 228 was sitting on a chair, huddled in a blanket, sipping hot cocoa, while guards were inspecting the empty cell and a visibly upset Numbuh 404 was questioning him.

"Okay, let's take this one step at a time," she asked. "How did Cree get in here?"

"She teleported in," groaned 228. "Through some sort of portal."

"That's impossible," sneered 404. "This base is protected by a grid that prevents teleporting!"

"All I know is, a portal opened, and she came out of it," sighed 228.

"And then you say she hit you with lightning?" asked 404.

"Yeah," replied 228. "And that was the funny part. Her ninja armor wasn't black – it was… golden."

"Golden?" asked 404. "Why would she change the style?"

"You think I was in the mood to ask her?" exclaimed 228.

"Okay, but how on earth could she have made off with three cryogenic pods?" asked 404. "Each of those things weighs half a ton!"

"I dunno," sighed 228. "Maybe she pulled them through the portal. But she can't open them… Only Numbuh Two can do that, right?"

"Or someone with a sample of his genetic code," muttered 404.

She took out a communicator.

"If those Boys get free, the first thing they're going to do is go after Sector P… and we have to warn them…"

She dialed a number.

She was greeted by Blossom's voice.

"Hello," it said, "this is Numbuh 51 of Sector P. My unit and I our either out fighting adult tyranny or saving Townsville from a crisis. Please leave a message after the tone, or if this is an emergency, please press one to be connected to Sector V.

"If you want to fax us, press two."

"Darn," said 404.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Meanwhile, it was business as usual for Sector P.

An early warning alarm had detected trouble at a local child's pizza parlor-slash-arcade.

A group of five-year-old kids were playing without a care, when a cackling laughter filled the air…

In a puff of smoke, a sinister form appeared floating over the main room…

"HA, HA, HA, HA!" he cackled. "Hello kiddies! Count Spankulot is back, and he's ready to do what he does best!"

The kids screamed…

"And there's no escape…" said Spankulot, evilly.

The kids screamed again, and ran for the exits.

Spankulot sighed.

"They never believe you," he said, with a shrug.

He raised his hand, and all the doors slammed shut and covered with an aura of unholy energy…

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

The Powerpuff Girls landed on the skylight of the pizza place, with Buttercup setting Snowball down.

"Spankulot must be off his nut!" exclaimed Blossom. "Well, more than he usually is. He never attacks children for no reason!"

"Yeah…" muttered Bubbles. "He never has a _good _reason, but he always has a reason!"

"Well, come on girls, we've got to smash through this barrier!"

They focused their heat vision on the roof…

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

"Like I said," laughed Spankulot, "no escape!"

He laughed and swooped down on the nearest girl…

And then the four members of Sector P burst through the ceiling!

"SPANKULOT!" shouted Buttercup. "Why don't you pick on someone your own size?"

Spankulot released the girl and hissed at them.

"Fine…" sighed Buttercup. "So we're technically _not _your size. But size doesn't matter!"

Spankulot ignored the wisecrack. He simply lifted his hand, and group of tables levitated, flying towards the four operatives!

The three Girls smashed through them, and pieces of shattered wood fell to the floor.

"You'll have to throw something heavier than that at us!" laughed Bubbles.

She blew a raspberry at Spankulot.

Spankulot raised both his hands, and three video game machines uprooted off the floor.

"This heavy enough?" he laughed.

He hurled them forward…

Three blasts of heat vision shot from the Girls' eyes, and the machines exploded.

"Try as hard as you like!" mocked Spankulot. "You'll never get near me!"

But Spankulot had made a crucial error. He was so focused on the Girls, he had forgot all about Snowball.

And from behind, she pounced!

She tackled the mad vampire and started to slash with her claws! Spankulot screamed!

"Here, take a dip," she said, lifting him off the ground.

She gave a hurl, and threw the villain into the plastic ball bin.

"Over to you, Girls!" she called.

Before Spankulot could get up, the Girls flew over and shot their heat vision at the balls in the bin, melting the plastic balls into molten plastic! Spankulot screamed…

Then Blossom blasted the whole bin with her ice breath, and the plastic hardened! Spankulot was caught in a plastic straight jacket!

"All right Spankulot," demanded Blossom, "while we're waiting for Global Command to come get you, we want some answers!"

"Yeah!" sneered Bubbles. "Why did you attack this place for no reason?"

"Do you really think I'm going to tell you?" laughed Spankulot.

Snowball bared her claws.

"Yes…" she said with a sinister grin, "we do…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

In a wide open field, near a farmhouse, Charon was waiting. He impatiently looked at his watch.

A portal opened, and Cree stepped out. The three cryogenic pods holding the Rowdyruffs floated out and were set in front of them.

"It's about time," scowled Charon.

"Hey, I'm new at this traveling between dimensions thing, okay?" snapped Cree.

"Don't worry," said Charon with a smile. "The cargo is here, and soon we'll have three potent weapons."

"How are you going to wake them up without Gilligan?" asked Cree. "Are you going to 'magic' them open."

"I could," said Charon, rubbing his chin, "but finding the right spell could take days. Fortunately, anyone with a sample of Numbuh Two's genetic code can open it…"

He held up a test tube.

"…and I have that right here…"

"And how, pray tell, did you get that?" asked Cree.

"Well, why don't you ask my new ally?" replied Charon.

A figure walked up to them…

…and let out a big sneeze.

"The Common Cold?" said Cree in surprise.

"Uh huh," sniffed the Common Cold. "And let me tell you, it wasn't easy getting that brat's DNA…

"The last time I fought Numbuh Two, he beat me… again. And I failed to infect him… But at the very least, I made him sneeze, and as fate would have it, he sneezed all over my shirt!

"Since I knew that Father had once tried a plan using Kids Next Door DNA, I figured that this DNA might be good for something, so I collected it… and this guy…"

He pointed to Charon.

"Made me a sweet deal for it!"

"Indeed," said Charon with a smile. "So let's crack these pods!"

He inputted a code into the console that connected all three of the pods.

"**Please enter DNA code identification," **said a voice.

Charon uncorked the vial, and poured the liquid into a slot.

"**Confirmed," **said the voice.

The pods slowly opened, and a burst of frozen vapor escaped from them as they swung open…

"Now, let's warn them up…" said Charon with a smile.

He chanted, and a wave of steady, warm heat flowed into the pods.

The three Rowdyruff Boys groaned and collapsed.

"Welcome back to the land of the living…" grinned Charon.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

"Okay! Okay!" shouted Spankulot. "I'll tell you!"

He gasped.

"Some weird person offered to give me back something that I had… lost if I attacked the place to keep you busy!"

"Keep us busy?" asked Buttercup, angrily. "What for?"

"I don't know!" begged Spankulot. "He didn't tell me! But he said he would give me back what I had… lost…"

"What did you lose?" asked Blossom.

Spankulot didn't answer. He hung his head.

Something came to Blossom…

Spankulot was a vampire…

Could someone have offered to give him back his soul?

Was such a thing possible?

"What's the matter Blossom?" asked Snowball.

"I don't think we should pester Spankulot for the answer," she muttered. "We'll talk about it later. For now, we just have to wait for them to come pick him up…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

"Ugh, what happened?" groaned Brick, shivering. "Last thing I remember, we were on the moon, fighting those Girls and their dumb friends, and then we were…"

"Defeated," affirmed Charon. "Sadly, you've been asleep for a few months…"

"Hey," snapped Boomer, "what's old snotrag doing here?"

The Common Cold got angry.

"You ungrateful…" he snarled. "If it weren't for me, you'd still be…"

A blast from Boomer's heat vision shut him up.

"Heh, heh," chuckled Charon. "A destructive, callous personality. You boys are just the tykes I'm looking for. I see potential in you, and I can offer you a chance to gain revenge on the Powerpuff Girls… All you have to do is swear allegiance to me…"

"'Allegiance'?" asked Butch. "Stop using such big words!"

Charon sighed.

"It means, you and I team up, with me acting as your leader…" he said.

"And what if we don't want to swear 'allegiance'?" sneered Brick. "What if we feel like taking on the Powerpuff Girls by ourselves?"

"Well then," smiled Charon, "then I'd just have to give this nice present to some other kids…"

He waved his hands, and a huge trap door started to open in the ground beneath them. The six villains moved out of the way…

A huge form rose out of the ground. It looked like a giant toy robot action figure, about a hundred feet tall, in the style of Japanese anime cartoons. It had armor, weapons, and sharp blades on its joints!

"Its called Roboto Destructo Giganto Zar!" exclaimed Charon. "An action figure with twenty-four points of articulation, a lifetime guarantee, made in the USA, loaded with over seventeen fun features, and best of all, the batteries are already included!"

He turned to Cree.

"Actually," he whispered, as the Rowdyruffs gazed with awe, "it runs on something a little more complex than batteries, but I'm not telling them that…"

He turned to the boys again.

"Even better," he continued, "it's so simple to operate, that even a child could use it – like you guys."

"WOW!" gasped the three Boys.

"Heh, heh," said Brick. "Okay pops, we'll swear 'allegiance' to you…"

Charon's eyes sparkled.

"Then why not take Roboto Destructo Giganto Zar for a test run?" he suggested. "Townsville is about eighty miles north – it you hurry, you'll be smashing it flat in about two hours!"

"You got it!" said Boomer.

The three of them flew up towards the head of the huge robot, and it opened to let them into the cockpit.

Inside they were amazed. The controls looked complicated, but they found, to their confusion, that they already knew how to use them.

"Well," chuckled Butch. "Let's go get the Girls!"

Brick took the wheel, and Roboto Destructo Giganto Zar started to walk forward…

"Wait!" shouted Charon.

Brick picked up a microphone.

"Yeah?" he asked through Roboto's loudspeaker.

"North is _that _way," said Charon, pointing. "You're going east."

"Oh," said Brick. "I knew that…"

He turned, and the robot headed north.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Meanwhile, the Sector P had returned to their Treehouse, with Spankulot on his way to the Arctic Prison facility.

"So what do you think they were going to give Spankulot?" asked Snowball.

"Well, I was thinking that…" started Blossom.

Suddenly an alarm sounded.

"Uh, hold that thought," said Blossom.

They ran to the mainframe room. They knew what that particular alarm meant.

This particular Treehouse was equipped with a Monster Alert Alarm. With Townsville's history of monster attacks, they had installed an early warning system to alert them of giant monsters before they got near the city.

"Visual on!" said Buttercup, punching in the command.

The screen turned on, and the image of Roboto Destructo Giganto Zar, trudging towards the city, was seen on the screen.

"Didn't we see that thing on _Megas XLR _?" asked Snowball.

"From the readings, it's about seventy-five miles south of Townsville," said Buttercup. "And we can reach it before it gets to the seventy-mile mark!"

"Great!" exclaimed Snowball. "This will give me a chance to try out my new invention!"

A minute later, the Girls blasted off into the sky…

Snowball blasted off behind them, driving a 2x4 craft she had just completed – the S.P.R.A.C.K.E.T.

**(Kids Next Door S.P.R.A.C.K.E.T.: Snowball Piloted Rocket Aircraft Cycle Kicks Enemy Tuckus)**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Ten minutes later, they were in view of the huge robot.

"Man, it's big!" exclaimed Bubbles.

"We've taken down bigger!" answered Blossom.

This was greeted by the Roboto's booming voice.

"Hello Girls!" it said. "Did you miss us?"

They gasped in surprise.

"That's Brick's voice!" exclaimed Blossom.

"The Rowdyruff Boys?" gasped Buttercup. "I thought they were still on ice."

"We've been dreaming of this moment for months!" shouted Boomer.

Roboto lifted its arms, and blasted two beams of green energy. The Girls screamed and tumbled to the ground.

"Ho boy," muttered Snowball. "This is going to get ugly…"

She flew her craft towards the side of the monster, and hit a switch, firing a barrage of missiles at it…

But they didn't even scratch the thing.

The Powerpuff Girls recovered. They flew up and charged the beast…

And it blasted a bolt of electricity from its mouth! They crashed to the ground again.

Blossom pulled herself off the ground.

"Okay," she moaned, "this is way out of our league. We'd best call for backup…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Meanwhile, at the Sector V Treehouse, Numbuh Five fell to a mat with a thud.

Dingo had been spending the morning teaching her the basics of Aikido, and while she was learning fast, it wasn't an easy art.

"You sure you don't want to take a break?" asked Dingo.

"Numbuh Five can take it," answered Numbuh Five.

Then a familiar sound blared over the Treehouse.

"**Incoming message!" **shouted the computer. **"Distress signal!"**

That was the cue to drop everything. The members of Sector V and the Dogs of War rushed to the mainframe room.

Numbuh One turned on the computer.

"This is Numbuh One of Sector V," he called out.

Blossom appeared.

"Numbuh 51 of Sector P here!" she yelled. "We're under attack by the Rowdyruff Boys! And they've got some sort of giant robot with them!"

"Giant robot?" said Wolf, in surprise.

"I'm transmitting coordinates," said Blossom.

"Don't worry, Numbuh 51, we're on our way!"

As the two teams rushed to the S.C.A.M.P.E.R., Wolf spoke to Jackal.

"You think we might be able to use our usual strategy for this type of thing?"

"We could try," answered Jackal.

Five minutes later, the S.C.A.M.P.E.R. blasted off towards Townsville…

Fortunately, the place where the battle was taking place was on the way.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Roboto reached out with its fingers, and shot forth a volley of spikes! The Girls screamed and scattered.

"I don't know how this crazy thing works," laughed Brick, "but I love it!"

"Purple, or green?" asked Boomer.

"Green!" shouted Butch, hitting the green button.

Roboto blasted forth an ear-splitting wave of sound, and the girls cringed from it.

"How long can we keep this up?" gasped Bubbles.

"I don't know…" gulped Buttercup, "But if we don't find a way to…"

Her sentence was cut short, as Roboto's enormous foot stomped down on them!

The Boys laughed cruelly…

"NOOO!" shouted Snowball.

She flew directly at the beast's face, and fired a freeze ray at the monster's eyes. Roboto staggered back and tried to rub it off.

The Girls pulled themselves to their feet, and tried to crawl to safety. They were covered with bruises, and one more attack like that would likely finish them…

The S.C.A.M.P.E.R. flew into view.

"Sheesh," said Fox. "Whoever's helping the Rowdyruffs must have broken the bank when the built that thing…"

"Guys," said Wolf. "Jackal and I think we can take down that thing, but we'll need you to keep it occupied for about fifteen minutes."

Numbuh Four started to strap on something that looked like a bulky, metal lifejacket.

"You guys got it!" he said. "I can keep it occupied for much longer than that!"

"Okay," said Wolf. "Let's do this, Jackal!"

The two of them flicked switched on their watches.

_"Cry havoc and let slip the Dogs of War!"_ they both shouted.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Several leagues to the west was a nondescript junkyard.

At least it appeared nondescript.

Underneath the surface, two pairs of feral eyes lit up, and two sets of growls were heard.

A platform lifted the F.E.N.R.I.R. to the surface, and he quickly ran off in the direction of his master.

A minute later, a second, slightly smaller – but still large – mecha followed…

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Numbah Four leapt out of the S.C.A.M.P.E.R. He screamed, and pulled a cord on the contraption he was wearing.

Within seconds, he was encased in a huge torso resembling a cruise ship. Arms and legs grew out of the torso, resembling factory towers. Finally, a merry-go-round sprouted out of the top to serve as the head – and Numbuh Four appeared in the center of the carousel.

**(Kids Next Door W.R.A.S.L.E.R.: Wrestling Robot Absolutely Slamifies Large Enemy Riffraff)**

"It's Numbuh Four!" gasped Buttercup.

Buttercup would never admit it, but ever since she had met Wallabee Beetles, she had gotten somewhat of a crush on him. She had even a secret plan in mind to reintroduce herself to him after he had been decommissioned.

That was, of course, the tragedy of Sector P's relationship with Sector V. Unless Sector V was offered the same chance that the Dogs of War were, they'd be leaving Global Command long before the Girls would.

But they couldn't worry about that right now…

"Hey, Rowdyruffs!" shouted Numbuh Four. "You wanna fight? I've got a fight for ya!"

The Boys noticed him and his big machine, which was almost as big as Roboto Destructo Giganto Zar.

"Oh, goody," laughed Brick's voice. "So you've got a new toy too! Well, come get a lickin'!"

"Hey, that's my line!" shouted Numbuh Four.

The two robots charged at each other and grappled each other.

_Ergh…_ grunted Numbuh Four. _This thing is **strong!**_

He raised his fist, and the W.R.A.S.L.E.R. punched Roboto in the face. The three Boys were rattled.

"Hey Brick," asked Boomer. "What does this button do?"

They looked at the button. It was labeled "CORROSIVE FOAM".

"Ugh, more big words…" muttered Butch. "I know what foam is, but what the heck is 'corrosive'?"

"Dunno," muttered Boomer. "Let's try it out…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Meanwhile, the S.C.A.M.P.E.R. had landed, and the rest of Sector V, the Dogs, and Snowball were helping the Girls.

"You girls okay?" asked Numbuh One.

"We'll be fine as long as we don't laugh or sneeze anytime soon," groaned Blossom.

They turned to the fighting robots, just in time to see Roboto raise its arms and squirt a gout of white gel all over the W.R.A.S.L.E.R. The 2x4 robot started to sizzle and smoke…

"Nuts!" shouted Numbuh Two. "That thing is armed with corrosive foam!"

"Fighting with chemical weapons is fighting dirty!" scowled Fox. "The only thing dirtier is biological weapons!"

"For all we know, that thing they're using has _those _too!" cursed Numbuh One. "Wolf, when does your big surprise get here? Numbuh Four can't go it alone much longer!"

The ground started to shake.

"Funny you should ask," smiled Wolf.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Meanwhile, in the cockpit of Roboto, the Rowdyruffs were laughing their heads off as their foe tried to wipe the vile foam off.

"I don't know what 'corrosive' means," laughed Butch, "but I like it!"

Then they heard the ground shake.

"Uh guys," he said, ominously, "what's that?"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

With a roar, F.E.N.R.I.R. charged over the horizon, landing in front of the operatives.

"Kids Next Door," said Wolf with a smile, "meet F.E.N.R.I.R.!"

"WOW!" gasped Numbuh Three.

"The first of my brainchildren," said Fox, putting an arm around Numbuh Three. "Built from the same design that you guys used for Hippy-Hop. And just like Hippy-Hop attached itself to you, Kuki, this big guy took a liking to Wolf as soon as he took it for a test run!"

F.E.N.R.I.R. let out a growl and lowered his paw. Wolf hopped up, and the giant mecha lifted him to the head, where a cockpit hatch opened. The leader of the Dogs of War leapt inside.

He fastened a seatbelt and took the controls.

"All right big guy," he said. "Let's start phase one…"

F.E.N.R.I.R. bounded towards the Roboto.

"And this is just part one of our genius plan," added Jackal. "In a few minutes, our second mecha will be here, and we'll be able to take down that overgrown action figure with no problem!"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Meanwhile, Numbuh Four was in trouble.

Half of his controls weren't responding, and his windshield was hard to see through.

The Rowdyruffs made it harder. They grabbed hold of the W.R.A.S.L.E.R.'s left arm, and with a swift stroke, tore it off!

Then they leveled a punch to the W.R.A.S.L.E.R.'s face, and it fell over backwards.

"Nice job Boys!" said Brick. "Now lets…"

They heard a loud howl…

"Hey you brats," shouted Wolf through F.E.N.R.I.R.'s amplified voice. "Got any more fight in you?"

With out waiting for an answer, two laser guns popped out of both sides of the mech. They blasted the Roboto in the chest, and it staggered back.

"Hey!" shouted Brick. "You're playing rough!"

"We'll smash your dog like we smashed his robot!" threatened Boomer.

Boomer noticed another lever.

It said "INCENDIARY RAY".

"Hey guys," he asked. "What does in-send-ee-ary mean?"

"Who cares!" snapped Butch. "Maybe it's as good as that corrosive thing!"

They pulled the lever, and a beam of heat blasted forth from the unit's chest.

Fortunately, F.E.N.R.I.R. could stand a little heat.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

At this point, a set of large footsteps were heard – but the earth didn't shake as much.

Slowly and carefully, another large mecha appeared over the horizon. This one was sixty feet long, and forty feet tall at the shoulder. It was trim, colored black, and modeled after a jackal.

The members of Sector V and P gazed in awe.

"People," announced Jackal, "meet A.N.U.B.I.S.!"

**(Kids Next Door A.N.U.B.I.S.: Amazingly Naturally Undetectable Ballistic Invasionary Scout) **

Jackal leapt on the new mechas paw, and he was lifted into the cockpit.

"So what's the plan?" asked Numbuh One.

"A.N.U.B.I.S. is an infiltration robot," explained Fox. "Frankly, we don't know why he chose to bond with Jackal instead of Coyote. But hopefully, he can cripple that thing.

"See, A.N.U.B.I.S. has state of the art cloaking devices, and he's armed with a set of cluster bombs that we call 'Will o' Wisp'."

"Catchy name," commented Numbuh Two.

"Jackal usually uses it for escape, but it will do well in this situation. He can only use it once, and then it has to be reloaded, but it gives off a special interference frequency that jams almost all other systems. The only systems that are immune are Kids Next Door technology and that of other Privileged Ones.

"If this goes as planned, we should be able to paralyze that monstrosity, leaving the Rowdyruffs at F.E.N.R.I.R.'s mercy.

At that, Jackal flicked a switch in the console of A.N.U.B.I.S., and the mecha faded, falling under a cloaking device.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Meanwhile, the Rowdyruffs's robot shot forth its electric blast at Wolf's mecha, and the pilot cringed.

"And they say I play rough," he mumbled.

He spoke through his watch.

"Hey Jackal, I'm getting a bit lonely here!"

"Don't worry, Wolf," answered Jackal, "just hold them for a second, and we'll have them cold."

"Hold them," said Wolf with a smile. "That's a good idea…"

He punched in a command, and two large chains shot from the shoulders of F.E.N.R.I.R., binding the Roboto's wrists. He pulled a switch, and electricity shot through them!

The Rowdyruffs screamed!

"All right!" shouted Brick. "We're done playing, it's time to get _serious!"_

The Roboto tore free of the bonds.

At that point, the A.N.U.B.I.S. appeared in front of them.

"What?" exclaimed Butch. "Another one?"

"Will o' Wisp away!" shouted Jackal.

Launchers opened on the A.N.U.B.I.S.'s shoulders, and a volley of cluster bombs shot forward, striking the Roboto! Loud booms and flashes erupted on the huge robot's carapace…

"Good work, Jackal!" exclaimed Wolf, as the Roboto struggled to keep standing. "In a few seconds, they should be…"

The Roboto clenched its fists and glared at them angrily…

"…still standing?" gasped Wolf. "That's impossible! The Will o' Wisp never failed before!"

Roboto blasted them with its electric blast, and Wolf and Jackal screamed…

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

"Get up…" moaned Numbuh Four. "Get up…"

Even with the W.R.A.S.L.E.R. missing an arm, Numbuh Four wasn't about to give up. Using the one remaining arm, he slowly pulled the robot back to an upright position.

"I hate to use words that a cruddy teenager would use," he growled, "but those little brats are going to pay!"

And they weren't the only ones who were recovering. Being stomped on by a giant foot would have been a problem for most, but the Powerpuff Girls had suffered that fate numerous times, and just like before, it wasn't about to stop them.

"Come on Girls," said Blossom. "Let's show these guys what happens to bad boys!"

They flew off towards the robot.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

"We're going to have to take it down the hard way, Jackal," sneered Wolf.

"You got it," said Jackal. "Arming Death Strike claws!"

He hit a command, and the claws of the A.N.U.B.I.S. glowed green.

A.N.U.B.I.S. ran at the demented toy, and the Rowdyruffs shot volleys of weapons at him – but Jackal was too fast. A.N.U.B.I.S. leapt at the beast's back, and raked at it with his glowing claws, opening a set of deep slashes!

The Rowdyruffs howled.

They turned to face the A.N.U.B.I.S., only to see that he had dodged aside, and the W.R.A.S.L.E.R. was standing there.

"Forget about me, bubs?" dared Numbuh Four.

He raised his fist, and his robot slugged Roboto in the face, sending it staggering backwards.

Meanwhile, Wolf punched in a command inside the F.E.N.R.I.R.

"**Winter's Vanguard is now fully armed," **said a message on his console.

"Time to send you guys to the cooler!" he shouted though the speaker.

"Uh oh!" chuckled Fox. "Wolf is about to use F.E.N.R.I.R.'s most powerful weapon!"

"What's that?" asked Numbuh Two.

"I called it 'Winter's Vanguard'," answered Fox. "A sniper cannon in the mouth that fires a beam of energy cooled to just a few degrees higher than absolute zero. Just watch…"

F.E.N.R.I.R. opened its jaws, and fired a beam of pure cold! As the Rowdyruffs screamed, Roboto Destructo Giganto Zar was coated in a shell of ice!

The Powerpuffs flew into view.

"Nice work guys!" shouted Blossom, with a thumbs-up. "We'll take it from here!"

Bubbles grabbed the left arm and ripped it off!

Buttercup grabbed the right, and tore _it _free!

Blossom slugged the head, and it flew off of the shoulders of the huge robot, sending its occupants screaming into the woods.

Finally, the three Powerpuff Girls put their hands together.

"TRIANGLE BLAST!" they shouted!

The energy triangle appeared in their hands, and started to spin. It shot forward and grew…

It slammed into the remains of Roboto Destructo Giganto Zar, and the demented toy of destruction exploded.

"Heh, heh," chuckled Blossom. "That move is getting better…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Meanwhile, the Rowdyruffs were fleeing from the scene as fast as they could.

"So now what?" asked Boomer.

"Dunno," grumbled Brick. "Maybe we can…"

"Oh, Boys…" said Charon's voice in their head.

They stopped short.

"Yes?" they all said.

"It was a good effort, Boys," said Charon. "Don't feel bad because you lost. Like I said, I see much potential in you, and I can still use you.

"Come back to me. I assure you, you'll still get your revenge…"

They resumed their flight, hardly knowing where they were flying to…

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Three hours later, a meeting was being held in the Sector V Treehouse.

F.E.N.R.I.R. and A.N.U.B.I.S. had been sent back to the Dogs' secret base, the W.R.A.S.L.E.R. was in the shop awaiting repair, and wounds had been patched up.

"I don't know why the Will o' Wisp failed to work," muttered Fox. "It should have paralyzed any enemy system."

"Unless…" pondered Numbuh One.

He paused for a minute.

They all turned towards him.

"Unless Roboto Destructo Giganto Zar wasn't a mechanical construct," he proposed. Maybe it was a _magical _device. Science and magic don't mix very well – and if that was the case, your disruption device couldn't have affected it."

"Geeze Louise," sighed Numbuh Two. "Magical artifacts, wizards, weird writing… Yugi was right! That crazy tournament we were in was just a foreshadowing of something much bigger…"

A beeping went off, and Wolf pulled out his a pager.

He frowned. He took out a L.U.N.C.H.B.O.C.K.S. and typed in a code…

**(Kids Next Door L.U.N.C.H.B.O.C.K.S.: Largely Undercover Nuclear Computer Handles Bologna Or Complicated Kompter Stuff)**

He closed the device.

"I'm sorry, guys," he said, addressing his younger allies, "but the Dogs have to go. We just got a lead on a case that we've been following."

The Dogs stood up.

"But keep in touch with us, because we'll still be following this case. You have our number. And furthermore…"

He handed Numbuh One a card.

"That's my home, that's my cell, and that's my pager. Just don't call my cell between eight and three on weekdays, because our school is really strict on us having cellphones in class."

"Well, good luck guys," said Blossom. "We hope to see you soon."

"We guarantee it," said Wolf, as he and his team turned to leave.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Charon sat on a throne in a dark place, stroking Persephone's fur.

He thought to himself.

"So, they defeated Roboto Destructo Giganto Zar with ice…"

He thought for a minute.

"That gives me an idea," he thought. "Why not fight fire with fire?"

He chuckled.

"Or more appropriately, ice with ice?"

He chuckled, and an image came on a screen of an individual whom Sector V had opposed more than once.

"Quite an interesting fellow," he thought. "He's too… unstable for me to consider as a recruit, but he does good work…

"He might not be willing at first to share that work…

"But anyone will be willing to do so if there's enough… cha-ching involved!"

He laughed out loud.

**0**

**0**

**0**

_**Coming up next:**_

_**The Dogs of War are going to be taking a break. Meanwhile, Sectors V and P travel to an exotic locale, to deal with an old foe who's madder than a hatter! Don't miss a chapter called "Cold Shoulder", coming soon…**_

**0**

**0**

**0**

_Kid Trivia:_

_The reason that Numbuh Five is nicknamed "The Quiet One" is because the original plans for the show planned for Abigail not to speak… at all. Numbuh Five was to remain eternally silent for reasons known only to her. However, because of a similar arrangement involving Numbuh Three – which I'll reveal next chapter – this idea was scrapped._


	7. Cold Shoulder

_Time for a new chapter._

_This chapter may be short, but I figured I needed a bit of a filler to pass the time before getting into the serious stuff. Enjoy._

**0 0 0 0 0**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**CHAPTER SEVEN**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**Cold Shoulder**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**0 0 0 0 0**

The next afternoon at four PM, after school had been let out, Sector V was now at Sector P headquarters.

Still not a word had been heard from Numbuh 362. But then again, they had no idea how the Memory File worked. And scanning the memories of every KND operative in history might take some time.

At the moment, Bubbles, Blossom, Numbuh One, and Numbuh Five were playing _Trivial Pursuit_. Buttercup and the rest of Sector V were playing a four way battle of _Super Smash Bros. Melee_ (Buttercup: Samus, Numbuh Four: Mario, Numbuh Three: Peach, Numbuh Two: Pikachu).

Snowball, meanwhile, was alternating between watching the two groups, while sipping from a carton of milk.

Numbuh One rolled the dice, and landed his piece on a brown square.

"Arts and Leisure," he said.

"You got it," said Blossom, drawing a card.

She read.

"Which is the only academician among the suspects in the game 'Clue'?" she asked.

"Okay, let's see…" thought Numbuh One. "Academician…"

"Numbuh Five knows the answer…" muttered Numbuh Five.

"Ha!" laughed Numbuh One. "I got it. Professor Plum!"

"He's right," shrugged Blossom to her sister.

"YAY!" shouted Numbuh Three, as Princess Peach knocked Mario off the ledge with a frying pan, knocking him out.

"Crud," snarled Numbuh Four.

"You haven't won yet, Princess!" laughed Buttercup.

Samus blasted Peach with her rifle, knocking her off the ledge and her life bar down ten percentage points. Peach scrambled back up…

And then they were saved by the bell.

"**PRIORITY MISSION ALERT!"** shouted the computer. **"PRIORITY MISSION ALERT!"**

"Ah, you got lucky," sneered Buttercup.

The two teams got up and ran to the mainframe room.

The screen turned to static, and the face of Numbuh 65.3 appeared.

"Sector P," he started, "I have… huh? Sector V? You're here too?"

"Um, Numbuh 362 wanted us to stick together for something we're working on," commented Numbuh One.

"Well fine," said Numbuh 65.3, "but we've got some business that needs taking care of in the meantime…

"It seems there's a scientist of some sort, possibly one that Global Command has faced before, working on a weapon in a lab in Egypt. The weapon is a giant freeze ray, that could potentially be used as a long range anti-aircraft weapon.

"Like we said, this guy might have opposed Global Command before. Sector P, we need you to find out if this guy poses a threat, and if so, neutralize it!"

"Um, begging your pardon sir," asked Bubbles, "but why would someone be working on a freeze ray in the middle of the Sahara Desert? Don't such things need a lot of water?"

"Good question," said 65.3. "We have reason to believe that this device creates dry ice."

"Uh, right," muttered Numbuh Four. "Dry ice…"

He paused.

"Hey, Numbuh Five," he whispered, "how do you _dry_ ice?"

"Genius!" shouted Numbuh Five, slapping him. "Dry ice is a different kind of ice. It's frozen carbon dioxide."

"Exactly," said 65.3. "So good luck."

The transmission ended.

"Girls," said Numbuh One. "We know this is your mission, but if you need backup…"

"Sure," said Blossom. "The more the merrier!"

Minutes later, the M.O.S.Q.U.I.T.T.O.H. blasted off towards Africa.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Not far from the Great Pyramids of Gaza was a building, seemingly made of stone, and in the shape of a huge scarab.

Inside the building were computers, machines, and complicated scientific stuff. And among them were two men.

One was large, and the other was not so big.

The not-so-big guy wasn't the kind who would stand out. He was a short, nerdish fellow, with glasses and a bowl-cut, dressed in a lab coat. He was taking down notes on a clipboard.

But the large guy was one who would certainly stand out. He was tall and immensely fat, with a Curly Howard haircut and a tuft of hair on his chin. He stood out in another way – on his back was a beetle-like carapace, and his hands were also the claws of a beetle.

That was the problem with this guy – he kept having lab accidents that resulted in unfortunate bodily mutations. And that wasn't the only problem the latest accident had caused…

The two scientists entered a room, where a huge gun stood on a platform.

"Time to run the test, Smithy!" he chuckled. "And when the dry ice cannon is completed, the scientific world will finally give due respect to the name…"

He raised his hand. He paused.

"Uhm, let's see…" he said. "What was my name again?"

Smithy sighed. He whispered something into his partner's ear.

"Oh right!" said the larger man. "The scientific world will finally give due respect to… PROFESSOR TRIPLE EXTRA LARGE!"

"That seems doubtful…" muttered Smithy.

"Huh?" asked the Professor.

"Never mind," sighed Smithy.

"Okay, time to run the test…" giggled the Professor.

He punched a code into a computer console, and the wings of the huge scarab opened. The large gun lifted on its platform, and took aim at a mountain fifty miles away.

Professor XXXL punched in another code.

"**Weapon is armed," **said the computer.

"FIRE!" he shouted.

The gun blasted a ray of pure cold, coating the whole side of the mountain with ice!

"Success!" laughed the Professor. "I can't wait to use it on a _moving _target!"

Then he heard a ringing sound.

"Oops, the telephone!" he exclaimed.

He ran to the phone and answered it.

"Hello, this is um…"

He thought for a minute.

"Oh right, the lab of Professor Triple Extra Large, this is he…"

"Hello Professor," said a deep voice on the other end. "My name is Charon. I heard you were working on a dry ice blaster…"

"Oh yes, yes, yes!" chuckled the Professor, "and it's nearly complete!"

"Good," said the Charon. "I was looking into purchasing such a device, and I might be interested in yours…"

"Oh, no!" protested the Professor. "No, no, no, no, no! I worked awfully hard on it! I couldn't simply sell it now!"

"Really?" said the Charon. "I could offer a very generous sum."

"I see," continued the Professor. "Exactly how much money are we talking about here?"

He listened, twirling the telephone cord.

"Uh huh," he said. "Uh huh… Gee, that _is_ a lot…"

"You don't have to give me an answer right away," said the Charon. "Take some time to think about it. In the meantime, turn your computer monitor to coordinates B7."

"Wait!" said the Professor, "where can I…"

The caller hung up.

"…reach you…"

He turned to his computer.

"B7, huh?" he pondered.

He turned it on, and saw the M.OS.Q.U.I.T.T.O.H. flying over the desert.

"Odd..." he said.

"Uh, Professor?" said Smithy. "I believe that is a Kids Next Door craft…"

"Kids Next Door?" questioned the Professor, scratching his head. "Hmm… rings a bell somewhere…"

"Uh, sir, they foiled your plans to create the perfect snow cone… twice," answered Smithy.

"Oh yeah…" muttered the Professor.

Then it sank in.

"How dare they!" he shouted. "Well, I'll show them snow!"

He punched the commands into the machine again, and the large weapon rose from the base…

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

"Cloaking devices on, Numbuh Two?" asked Numbuh One.

"Yeah, Cap'n," affirmed Numbuh Two, "and we're five miles from the target. We should…"

Then a blast of blue energy clipped past the vehicle's claws!

"INCOMING FIRE!" shouted Buttercup.

"How'd they see us?" wailed Bubbles.

"He couldn't have…" gasped Numbuh Five. "Not unless he knew exactly where to look!"

"Well apparently he did!" growled Snowball. "Someone ratted on us!"

"Evasive action Numbuh Two!" shouted Numbuh One.

The large craft dipped and dived, as beams of pure cold shot past them…

And it was all for naught, because the largest blow struck directly, coating the craft in a shell of ice!

"We're hit!" shouted Two. "Control's aren't responding!"

"Can you get us down?" shouted Numbuh Four, in panic.

"Down's the easy part, Numbuh Four," he answered, "but it isn't going to be pleasant."

Blossom got out of her chair.

"Emergency landing procedure, Girls!" she shouted.

Before Numbuh One could question what she meant by that, Blossom, Bubbles, and Buttercup smashed their way through the hull of the M.O.S.Q.U.T.T.O.H.

Bubbles jammed her fist into the port side. Blossom did the same with the starboard side. And Buttercup (being the strongest, physically) hefted the underside of the craft up on her back.

Carefully, they righted the plummeting aircraft…

And with as much care as they could, given the situation, they steered it down, bringing down to a bumpy crash-landing on the sand below.

Seconds after they had, the ice-covered hull cracked apart. Numbuh One pushed the door open.

"You Girls okay?" he asked.

"Just get everyone out," demanded Blossom.

The other members climbed out of the wrecked craft. Once everyone was clear, Blossom and Bubbles tipped the whole thing over.

Buttercup was a sorry sight. The plan they had devised for an emergency landing (which they had only used once before) usually meant bringing an aircraft down on its belly, which meant it would land on top of _her. _As was said, she was the strongest, so she had to take the underside – but it wasn't pleasant.

Especially, she had just learned, while landing on sand. She had it in her hair, ears, eyes, and probably had swallowed about a half-pound of it.

But she hadn't lost her spirit.

"Wait until I get my hands of that guy!" she shouted. "I'm gonna give him a butt-whooping to end all butt-whoopings!"

"Looks like we're going to be calling for a ride back home," muttered Numbuh Five.

"Not until we have a word with whoever runs that place," sneered Numbuh One.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

"Woo-woo!" laughed Professor Triple Extra Large. "I got em! I got em good! Come on, Smithy, I'll treat you to a lemonade! It's awfully hot in this place… I wonder why that is?"

"The Sahara Desert tends to be hot, sir," answered Smithy.

"Oh yeah," muttered the Professor. "Ah well…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

While they were going to get lemonade, the Kids Next Door had gotten their equipment from the wrecked craft…

Including six all terrain vehicles they had brought for desert combat – a new model of 2x4 ATV called the S.A.N.D.T.R.A.M.

**(Kids Next Door S.A.N.D.T.R.A.M.: Scooter Amazingly Navigates Desert Terrain Reliably And Methodically)**

While the three Powerpuff Girls flew overhead, the others sped at full speed on the souped-up ATVs, ready to give their as-yet unseen foe a wake-up call.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Professor Triple Extra Large and his assistant were at the front door of his lab, where a soda machine had been set up.

He had a practical reason for keeping vending machines outside the main building.

"Let's see," he said, looking at it. "Coke, Diet Coke, Sprite, grape soda, bottled water... Here, lemonade!"

As he was about to put the coins into it, Smithy peered over the horizon with a pair of binoculars.

"Uh, sir?" he said, "maybe you should see this…"

The Professor looked through the spyglasses.

"Oh, those brats!" he cursed. "You know, they're like sauerkraut, they come back and give you trouble just when you think you're done with them…"

He paused.

"Hmm, sauerkraut. You know, some bratwurst would taste good right about now…"

"Um, sir…" said Smithy, pointing at the incoming KND operatives.

"Oh right," said the Professor. "Well, have a drink on me, Kids Next Door!"

He fed the coins into the machine and pushed a special button.

The top opened, and a missile launcher opened! A volley of lemonade cans shot forth!

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

"Guys, watch out!" shouted Blossom.

The team swerved to dodge, as the cans honed in, exploding on impact!

"Hey, who ordered lemonade?" asked Numbuh Three.

"Someone better take out that launcher before we get blasted with citric acid!" shouted Numbuh Five.

"I got it!" laughed Numbuh Three.

She hit a button on her ATV…

Three toy Rainbow Monkeys dressed in superhero costumes flew out of a container on the back and flew towards the lab, propelled by rocket boosters.

"And what are they gonna do?" scowled Numbuh Four, "hug them to death?"

"Hmph!" sneered Numbuh Three.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

"Um, sir?" said Smithy. "There seem to be three stuffed toys flying towards us…"

"Let me see that…" grumbled the Professor.

He looked towards the three flying toys.

"Hee, hee, how cute!" he laughed.

The three Rainbow Monkeys swooped down…

Missiles appeared on the top of their rocket packs, and they fired, homing in on the vending machine!

The Kids Next Door watched, as an explosion blew the lethal refreshment dispenser to bits.

"Wow, Kuki, that's amazing!" exclaimed Numbuh Four. "You actually found a use for those things!"

The three stuffed toys flew back to Numbuh Three and landed in her arms. She hugged them.

"And they're still full of love and joy!" she cried.

"Oh boy," groaned Numbuh Four.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Professor Triple Extra Large and Smithy sat by the charred remains of the weapon. Cans of soda lay about, with the contents spraying everywhere.

They watched as the Kids Next Door came closer.

"INSIDE!" shouted the Professor. "I'll show those brats!"

They ran inside, and the doors slammed shut behind them.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

The operatives parked their S.A.N.D.T.R.A.M.s outside the entrance.

Snowball tried the door.

"Locked," she said, with a shug.

Buttercup gave a kick, and it crashed open.

"Unlocked!" she snarled.

She was still pretty upset at the half-pound of sand she had swallowed.

They started down a long hallway, with weapons ready…

And then they were surprised when the hallway behind them was closed off, when a series of metal door slammed closed.

"Man, it's going to take a long time to rip down those…" muttered Buttercup.

"Not if we make the guy who closed them _open _them!" grunted Numbuh Four. "Let's get 'im!"

They moved forward, and got to a set of double doors. They opened.

They were in a large laboratory, full of monitors and computers. A large podium was in the middle of the room, and a skylight was overhead.

A cackling laughter filled the room. They looked to the podium.

Professor Triple Extra Large and Smithy appeared on it.

"Welcome, Kids Next Door!" he cackled. "Welcome to the lair of… of… of…"

He paused.

"Um…" he stuttered.

Smithy sighed. He held up a mirror to the bigger man.

The Professor looked in.

"Hey, I know that face!" he exclaimed. "Oh right! Ahem… to the lair of… PROFESSOR TRIPLE EXTRA LARGE!"

"Oh great," sighed Numbuh Five. "It's our least-favorite mad scientist…"

"Mad?" snapped the Professor, somewhat annoyed. He shook his claws. "Why does everyone call me mad? I am not mad! Do you hear me? I AM NOT MAD!"

He stopped to catch his breath.

"Maybe I'm a little… frustrated," he continued, "but I'm _not _mad!"

"You guys know this fruitcake, Numbuh One?" whispered Blossom. "How?"

"We all go to the same book club," sighed Numbuh One, sarcastically. "Trust me, it's a long story."

He spoke up.

"Listen, you," he demanded, "what are you planning to do with this dry ice cannon?"

"Oh, I dunno," said the Professor with a shrug. "Originally I was thinking of giving Cairo a nice cold and flu season! But before you guys came in, some guy called Charon offered to buy it… And he offered a pretty good deal, so…"

"Charon?" exclaimed Numbuh One. "We're not going to let you help him!"

They all raised their weapons.

"Well then," chuckled the Professor, holding a remote, "I'll just have to take care of you little brats then…"

He pushed a button on the remote, and the droning of wings was heard…

And then, a swarm of scarab beetles the size of dogs flew out of a hatch on the wall!

"When you make mistakes working in a lab, you have to make the best of them!" laughed the Professor.

"Kids Next Door, let's bash some bugs!" shouted Numbuh One.

Blossom, Bubbles, and Buttercup flew into the air, and were honed in on by six of the scarabs.

Nothing they couldn't handle. Two punches apiece, and the huge bugs plummeted to the ground.

As four of them flew towards Snowball, she backflipped out of the way. As she landed she bore her claws…

As the bugs dove, she made four slashes, and they fell into twitching pieces.

Numbuh Two and Numbuh Five stood back to back, firing at the things with jalapeño guns.

"I hate to bug you about this, but…" started Numbuh Two.

"Will you shut up?" shouted Numbuh Five.

A particularly large one swooped down on her, and she fired! The scarab exploded, covering her with slime!

"Ugh!" she grunted. "If there's one thing worse than goo…"

"…it's bug goo," affirmed Numbuh Four, backing up past them.

He fired his mustard blaster, taking out three of them. Numbuh Three took out two more with her teddy bear rifle. But they seemed to keep coming!

"How many more of them are there?" shouted Numbuh One.

"Thirty seven," replied Numbuh Two, making a quick count.

"Abroad estimate would have been enough…" growled Numbuh One.

"Guys, I got an idea!" shouted Bubbles. "Cover your ears!"

Not knowing why, everyone clasped their hands over their ears.

And then, Bubbles opened her mouth and let out her sonic scream! The glass objects in the room shattered, and the scarabs became confused. They started to flee, smashing their way out the already broken skylight.

"Everyone okay?" asked Bubbles.

"How'd you know that would work?" asked Numbuh Four.

"Bugs don't like intense sound," answered Bubbles. "I read it somewhere."

"You read a lot of stuff," said Numbuh Five, with a grin. "Ever think of applying for Global Command's research and development?"

"Aw, I'm not _that _smart," said Bubbles, blushing.

"Speaking of guys who think they're smart," said Numbuh Two, pointing.

The Professor and Smithy were running out a door.

"After them!" shouted Numbuh One.

The operatives ran, or flew, after the scientists, and eventually came to the room where the colossal freeze ray was housed.

And Professor Triple Extra Large was standing between them and it, with a large device on his back. It was connected to a tube, which was connected a weapon in his hands.

"Hee, hee," he chuckled, aiming it at them. "Portable version!"

"WATCH OUT!" shouted Buttercup.

Ironically, she was the first person that the mad scientist aimed for. The beam from his freeze ray hit her, and she fell to the ground, frozen in a block of ice.

Her sisters glared at the Professor.

"She was already mad enough at you, fatso," snarled Blossom. "She's gonna be even madder once she thaws!"

"Just try to get me!" he dared.

He fired off a volley of blasts, and the operatives scattered.

"Everyone!" shouted Numbuh One, "aim for his gut! It's a big target!"

"Huh?" muttered the Professor.

They all blasted their weapons into his stomach, throwing him back against the larger weapon.

He gasped and got to his feet.

"Ooh, I knew I shouldn't have eaten that Philly cheesesteak for lunch…" he muttered.

"You like ice?" asked Blossom. "Try _this _ice!"

She took a deep breath, and blew her ice breath, covering the scientist with a coating of frost!

"Aw geeze!" shouted Smithy. He took a small ice pick from his pocket and started to chip away at the frost.

"Now that we've put looney tunes on deep freeze," scowled Numbuh Four, "let's blow this joint!"

Meanwhile, as Blossom and Bubbles were trying to warm their sister up, Numbuh Two was studying the controls of the huge dry ice blaster.

"Hey Numbuh One," he asked, "what do you suppose this button does?"

He pointed to a button that said, **"DO NOT EVER PRESS THIS BUTTON!"**

Numbuh One looked at it.

"I think that might solve our problem, Numbuh Two!" he chuckled. "By all means…"

Numbuh Two gave the button a press.

An alarm sounded through the base!

"**Auto-destruct sequence initiated," **said a computerized voice. **"Ten minutes until total destruction of laboratory."**

"Uh oh…" said Numbuh One.

"Uh oh…" said Smithy.

He began to shove the frozen Professor towards a door…

Buttercup burst free of the ice.

"Let me at him!" she shouted.

"No time!" exclaimed Numbuh One. "We have to get out of here ASA-NOW!"

The three Girls aimed their heat vision at the roof, and blasted a hole in it. Fortunately, the roof wasn't made of very hard metal, seeing as it was made to open anyway.

Lifting one operative in each hand, they flew through the hole, flying to where the S.A.N.D.T.R.A.M.s were parked.

"Let's get out of here!" shouted Numbuh Two, getting on his.

The six ATVs and the three flyers fled at full speed.

When they were a mile away, an explosion threw them to the ground, covering them with sand.

Mission accomplished, even if it was a little dirty.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Meanwhile, a flying ship was fleeing the scene. Inside, Professor Triple Extra Large was shivering and wrapped in a blanket.

"Coffee, sir?" said Smithy, handing a cup to him.

"Thanks," he shuddered.

"Those brats…" he muttered, sipping it. "They cost me a wad of cash. But I promise you, they haven't seen the last of…"

He paused.

"Of… of…"

Smithy sighed.

"Oh, think about it," sighed Smithy. "I'm sure you'll remember it eventually."

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

"Man, Professor Triple Extra Large is nuts!" exclaimed Numbuh Four, as they righted their ATVs. "Why do villains always have to have a 'blow up the entire base' option?"

"Because villains are stupid," muttered Snowball. "I heard that their brains are made of tapioca."

Then a large shadow fell over them…

A huge KND transport ship prepared to land.

This was strange. They hadn't radioed for help yet.

The craft landed, and a door opened.

Numbuh 362 was standing there.

"Hello troops," she said, greeting them. "I trust the mission was successful?"

They all saluted.

"Affirmative, Commander," answered Numbuh One. "Although we could use a shower or twelve…"

"You can all take one at Moonbase," she responded. "We need you guys there for some briefing on your main mission…"

She paused.

"The Memory File turned up something on that document you found at Wacky Jack's base, and things just became a lot more complicated…"

**0**

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_**Coming up next:**_

_**The two teams travel to a faraway land – farther away than most – to find an old ally and uncover the mysteries of that strange document! But Charon will try to stop them, as his involvement becomes more and more intrusive! Don't miss a chapter called "Faraway", coming soon.**_

**0**

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_Kid Trivia: _

_In the original plans for the show, Numbuh Three was only to speak Japanese, translated occasionally by subtitles. However, the producers thought this an unfair arrangement. With Numbuh Five not speaking at all, having both of the female characters with no real dialogue would have been unfair. Thus, both plans were dropped – Abigail would speak, and Kuki would speak English. _


	8. Faraway

_Sorry it took so long to put this chapter up, guys, but I've been preoccupied._

_Anyway, enjoy._

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**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**CHAPTER EIGHT**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**Faraway**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**0 0 0 0 0**

Numbuh 362 paced back and forth behind her desk for a few minutes. The five members of Sector V had never seen her this worried.

Numbuh Four noticed the sword on a table, glowing with a green light. Curious, he inched towards it…

"I wouldn't recommend touching that, Numbuh Four," ordered Numbuh 362. "The last operative who did got the nastiest shock yet. Until it lets us know who it wants to pick it up, no-one is to try to pick it up."

"Yes ma'am," he answered, nervously.

"Anyway," said Numbuh 362, sitting down, "we've finally discovered what language this is… We had to go pretty far into the Memory Files to identify it…"

"Cool," exclaimed Buttercup. "So what does it say?"

"I said we discovered the language," replied Numbuh 362, ominously. "We haven't translated it…"

She gave a strange look. She sighed.

"This is written in the Language Primordial," she finally said.

Everyone gave blank expressions.

"I take it," said Numbuh One, "that this isn't a language that we can take a crash course in…"

"No," sighed Numbuh 362. "Let me explain. Before humans even existed, the world was ruled by strange creatures. People read about them in legends. For instance, you all ever hear about the Titans?"

"Uh huh," replied Numbuh Five. "The entities that spawned the Greek Gods. But they is just a myth…"

"So some people believe," sighed Numbuh 362. "But people like the guy who created that sword think that they were real. If the Titans were real, the Language Primordial was a second language to them.

"The Language is one that powerful creatures use when they don't want anyone else to know about what they're talking about. You'll never hear casual conversations held in this tongue. Everything written in it is incredibly serious…

"And it looks like we'll never find out what this thing says…"

"Certainly there must be someone we know who can translate it…" suggested Bubbles.

"Who?" asked Numbuh 362. "It would take a being with incredible arcane or cosmic knowledge or power! The Kids Next Door are tops in technology, but with magic and cosmic power, we come up short…"

They all paused for a minute.

"Uhm, ma'am?" spoke up Numbuh Three. "I have an idea…"

"Numbuh Three, this had better be a better idea than your invention of a 2x4 solar-powered flashlight that you came up with while you were a cadet…" muttered 362.

"Give her a break!" snapped Numbuh Four. "That was her first try!"

Numbuh Three sighed. She _hated _when the boss brought that up. The whole Arctic training facility made fun of her for a week after that. They might have for longer if Wally had not started to threaten to give out black eyes to anyone who kept it up.

"Anyway," she said. "I was thinking… What about Ramon 4?"

Everyone looked at her.

"Who's Ramon 4?" asked 362.

"You'd better let her explain it," said Numbuh One. "It wasn't an official mission…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

So Numbuh Three started at the beginning. It all started many years ago at the Rainbow Monkey Corporation, where a team of scientists worked on a project that they called Rainbow Monkey 4-Ever. Their goal was to create the perfect Rainbow Monkey (before the Russians did).

It would be a doll with limitless energy that could play all day… One with feelings like a real child… One with intelligence.

Unfortunately, the scientists decided to create the doll in their own image – and they succeeded. Their own image wasn't very adorable. When it came time to test the prototype, they found, unfortunately, that it was… unlovable.

Embarrassed, the scientists tried to hide the colossal mistake by shooting it into space, banishing the unfortunate creation to the endless void… forever.

As the neglected toy drifted through space, its power grew immensely… as did its sadness and anger. Rejecting its original name and calling itself Ramon 4 (the rest of the letters on its chest became caked with dirt) it eventually settled among the rings of Saturn, and began stealing other Rainbow Monkeys, determined that if it could not be loved, then no Rainbow Monkey would be loved.

But a monkey wrench (so to speak) wasthrown into its plans when it stole five of Numbuh Three's toys. Sector V sped towards Saturn in hot pursuit, determined that no one was going to steal a child's toys while the Kids Next Door were on watch. But when they got there, they were totally outclassed by the powerful Ramon 4.

Possibly to prove its point, the creature abducted Numbuh Three, and told her its story. Numbuh Three felt pityfor the poor, abandoned creature. She didn't care what it looked like. It was impossible for her to _not _to love anything that was a Rainbow Monkey.

Feeling joy for the first time, and now satisfied that it had fulfilled its purpose – being loved – Ramon 4 let the team go, and gave back everything it had stolen. Exactly what happened to Ramon 4 after that wasn't clear…

But in terms of cosmic power, it was the most powerful creature they knew of…

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Numbuh 362 rubbed her chin…

"So that was where my own Rainbow Monkeys disappeared to…" she muttered. "And how they mysteriously showed up on my doorstep later…"

She pondered this a bit. She sighed.

"I dunno about this," sighed Numbuh Four. "We don't even know if Ramon 4 is still where we left him… He could have gone out to explore strange new worlds… seek out new life and new civilizations…"

"Looks like someone stayed up to watch the twenty-four hour classic _Star Trek _marathon last week…" sighed Numbuh Five.

"What's wrong with liking _Star Trek?" _asked Numbuh Four. "It's a cult classic! And if you even _think _about saying that it's for nerds…"

"PEOPLE!" shouted Numbuh 362.

They all stood at attention.

"We need to find out what Charon is up to," she scowled, "and to do that we need to translate this document!"

Her eyes narrowed.

"Find Ramon 4…"

"Yes sir!" said Numbuh One and Blossom at once.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

"La, dee da, dee da…" laughed Numbuh Three, as she slowly lifted a glowing object with a pair of tongs.

Not all the members of Sector V and P were as happy as she was. They had to be careful doing this. They were dressed in protective clothing, feeding canisters of dark matter into one of several slots on a large craft.

Eventually, all the slots were full, and they were closed. Numbuh Two pressed a button, and a system of winches delivered the fuel to the main core.

"Okay, guys," he said, "the A.P.H.R.O.D.I.T.E. is ready to fly!"

**(Kids Next Door A.P.H.R.O.D.I.T.E.: Astral Propelling Humanoid Robot Operated by Dark-matter Imitating Terrestrial Entity)**

For most space missions, the reliable S.P.A.C.E.R.C.H.A.S.E.R. was used, but that was mostly a rescue and transport ship. A.P.H.R.O.D.I.T.E. was much better suited for combat, and she had already proven herself once when the two teams had used her to take back the Moonbase from Father.

And there was no telling what they'd find this time.

A.P.H.R.O.D.I.T.E. was one of their most powerful 2x4 creations. A huge robot in the shape of a girl, she was armed to the teeth with weapons, and could likely take down an army if the need arose. The fact that she could travel through space with ease was another bonus. They needed clearance from Global Command to use a weapon this powerful, but that was taken care of.

Half an hour after refueling, the nine operatives were seated in the cockpit.

"Dark matter containment unit online!" announced Blossom.

"Weapons systems online!" exclaimed Numbah Five.

"Shields online!" pronounced Numbah Three.

"Rocket boosters ready!" called Snowball.

"Then let's find ourselves a cosmic Rainbow Monkey!" ordered Numbuh One.

The countdown started.

"Ten… nine… eight…" started the craft's computerized female voice.

A large hatch opened in the ground outside the Treehouse.

"…seven… six… five…"

The rocket engines started to flare…

"…four… three… two… one… ignition…"

The rockets blasted, and A.P.H.R.O.D.I.T.E. roared up into the stratosphere.

From many miles away, Charon was sitting on a park bench, stroking Persephone's head.

"Foolish Kids Next Door…" he chuckled. "I know what you're up to… And I can stop you before you even get to Ramon 4…"

He held up a long finger, and traced a circle around in the air…

A portal opened, and a scene like an intense blizzard appeared on the other side.

Then, a swarm of ghostly forms flew out of it!

"GO!" shouted Charon. "Go my winterwights! Turn the Kids Next Door into kidsicles!"

The creatures flew into the sky with a screech.

Cree came up behind him.

"Are you sure they'll do the job?" she asked.

"Pretty sure," answered Charon. "But my options were limited. Most of the creatures I can summon have no need to breathe and surviving in a vacuum is no problem – but the void of space is extremely cold, and they'd freeze solid.

"Winterwights, however, come from a dimension of absolute cold, so the chill of space poses no problem for them.

"I think they can handle those brats…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

A.P.H.R.O.D.I.T.E drifted through the ether…

"Coming up on Mars, Captain," announced Numbuh Two.

"Steady as she goes, Numbuh Two," replied Numbuh One.

A beeping appeared on the console… Numbuh Two looked at it strangely.

"Uh, guys?" he said. "There's a bunch of… things coming up at two o'clock…"

"Ships?" asked Numbuh One.

"They're too small to be ships," answered Numbuh Two. "They're… human sized."

"That's ridiculous!" shouted Numbuh Four. "What sort of creatures could fly after us in the middle of space?"

"Maybe they have some really, really, good spacesuits…" suggested Numbuh Three.

"Numbuh Five, do a scan for nearby crafts," ordered Numbuh One. "Maybe there's an enemy ship nearby…"

"No time chief!" shouted Numbuh Two. "I'm picking up more of them at five o'clock…"

He paused.

"And at nine o' clock… and twelve o'clock…"

He paused again.

"People, we're surrounded!"

A moaning sound echoed through the cockpit…

"Don't worry people, there's no way they can pierce the hull!" exclaimed Numbuh One.

And then, a group of ghostly forms phased through the wall of the cockpit! They were blue specters, with skull-like heads, burning with blue fire! A chill pervaded the room! Where they entered, frost covered the walls!

"Okay, maybe they can…" he gulped.

Everyone raised their weapons.

"DON'T!" shouted Numbuh Two. "You'll blast the controls and we'll be stranded!"

"Numbuh Two's right!" shouted Numbuh One. "Fight them off hand-to-hand! Kids Next Door, _**battle stations!**"_

Blossom, Bubbles, and Buttercup threw themselves at the creatures and threw punches…

But their fists passed through the phantoms as if they weren't there.

"We can't hit them!" cried Bubbles.

Two of the creatures swiped at Numbuh Four and Numbuh Three, and they were sent tumbling.

"Yeah, but they can hit _us!" _gasped Numbuh Four.

"And they're c-c-cold!" exclaimed Numbuh Three.

Numbuh Five dodged the blows from two of the creatures.

"These things are some sort of demons made of ice!" she exclaimed.

"Ice, huh?" said Buttercup. "Maybe we'd just better turn up the thermostat…"

"Right," responded Blossom. "We start blasting with heat vision, we'll be blown out into cold, dark space!"

"Trust me!" exclaimed Buttercup. "Focus your heat vision on only _one _of them!"

Her sisters looked at her. They shrugged, and then stared at the winterwight in the centermost part of the room.

Aiming directly, they shot their heat vision into its chest…

And as Buttercup had hoped, steam began to emit from the creature.

"Heat ice a little, you get water," she said. "Heat ice a _lot_, you get scalding steam!"

As the room started to fill with steam from the melting winterwight, it was clear that the other creatures didn't like it. They moaned, as beads of water appeared on their icy bodies…

Eventually, they melted into water.

"We got 'em!" laughed Numbuh Four.

"Not yet guys!" screamed Numbuh Two. "The ones outside are trying something new!"

A group of the demons outside A.P.H.R.O.D.I.T.E. breathed forth a cloud of mist, covering her left leg.

"Her left leg is freezing up, people!" he shouted.

After about a minute, A.P.H.R.O.D.I.T.E.'s left leg was frozen solid in a block of ice.

The creatures moved on to the right leg…

"We've got to do something!" screamed Snowball. "If this ship freezes, we'll be trapped forever… literally!"

"Well?" said Numbuh Two to Numbuh One.

"I'm thinking!" said Numbuh One starting to panic.

"Oh, move over!" shouted Numbuh Five, pushing Numbuh Two out of his chair.

She took the controls, and A.P.H.R.O.D.I.T.E.'s rockets ignited. She did a quick 180, and blasted off away from Mars.

"That's your idea?" asked Bubbles. "Retreat?"

"No," said Numbuh Five with a smile. "Everybody fasten your seatbelts, I'm taking this thing into Warp Factor Fast!"

The rockets blasted, and A.P.H.R.O.D.I.T.E. approached Earth… and sped _past _Earth…

The winterwights followed in pursuit.

"Just as I thought," muttered Numbuh Five. "Those things are relatively mindless. They can't see what my plan is, and they won't until it's too late…"

They approached Venus.

"What is your plan?" asked Numbuh Four.

"Numbuh Five's gettin' rid of these things the same way she did in Heinrich Von Marzipan," she answered. "I'm gonna give 'em a taste of the most powerful force in Earth's solar system!"

"The President?" asked Numbuh Three.

"No, Kuki!" groaned Numbuh Five. "The Sun!"

A.P.H.R.O.D.I.T.E. zoomed past Mercury, and the center of the solar system loomed ahead…

"Numbuh Five's got a good idea," exclaimed Numbuh One. "Blossom, put heat shields and anti-gravity generators to max power!"

"I'm doing it," said Blossom, inputting the codes. "But against the heat and gravity of the Sun, we'll have five minutes at most…"

Everyone put on a pair of sunglasses (except Numbuh One, who was never without his), as the great star came closer…

Like moths to a candle, the winterwights followed…

And then steam started to erupt from their ghostly forms. They screeched, as the intense heat vaporized them.

"We got all of them!" shouted Numbuh One. "Now let's skedaddle before we get the worst sunburn in history!"

A.P.H.R.O.D.I.T.E. turned around, and with rockets at max power, she flew away from their savior.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Charon was looking through a viewing globe.

"Blast…" he said. "It seems I've underestimated those tykes…"

"So now what?" asked Cree.

Charon sighed.

"They may find Ramon 4," he answered, "he may be able to translate that document, but just knowing my plans doesn't mean that they'll be able to stop me.

"And besides, that document lacks one important thing – it doesn't tell what the Wvuxic actually _is…"_

"Uh, yeah…" muttered Cree. "I've been meaning to ask you… what exactly is it?"

Charon glared at her.

"There's an old saying, Cree," he replied. "It says 'loose lips sinks ships'. You'll know when the time is right what it is…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

A.P.H.R.O.D.I.T.E. passed by Jupiter, back on course. The ship was on autopilot now, and Numbuh Two was below levels, making lunch.

"Who do you think sent those weirdoes?" shuddered Bubbles.

"Probably the same jerk who gave the Rowdyruff Boys that giant robot," answered Numbuh Five.

"This is getting out of hand, people," sighed Numbuh One. "Villains with laser guns and normal robots we can handle… But now… magical items, demons…"

"Where's Juniper Lee when you need her?" sighed Numbuh Four.

"You watch _Juniper Lee?" _giggled Numbuh Three.

"I uh… glanced at an episode or two…" muttered Numbuh Four.

All the female operatives chuckled.

"HEY!" he protested. "June is my kinda girl! She's tough and she doesn't take any crap from anyone! You don't see _her _playing with Rainbow Monkeys!"

Numbuh Three looked at him. Her face turned into a sneer…

"Kuki, let it go…" whispered Numbuh Five.

"Humph!" grunted Numbuh Three.

"What's with her?" asked Numbuh Four.

At that moment, Numbuh Two came up wearing a chef's hat and an apron that said "Kiss the Cook".

He held up a plate of cheeseburgers.

"Who wants one of my extra-spicy Cajun burgers?" he exclaimed.

Everyone swarmed him and took one.

He looked at the empty plate.

"HEY!" he yelled. "How about leaving one for the chef?"

Oblivious to this, Numbuh One spoke up.

"Position, Numbuh Five," he said.

"Saturn is in view," she said.

She looked at her sensors.

She sighed.

"But Numbuh Five is gettin' no readings that Ramon 4 is anywhere around. He must have moved."

"Great," moaned Numbuh Four. "Never trust a Rainbow Monkey. He could be anywhere!"

Numbuh One thought for a moment.

"Numbuh Three," he said, "you can track Rainbow Monkeys… will it work on him?"

"Don't see why not…" she said with a shrug.

She concentrated. She listened to her heart beat…

"Forward…" she said, slowly.

The craft went past Saturn…

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

"Coming up on Uranus…" said Numbuh Two.

Bubbles giggled.

"Yes, Numbuh 218, we've all heard our share of Uranus jokes," sighed Numbuh One.

"He must have gone pretty far out…" muttered Snowball.

"I can sense him…" said Numbuh Three, slowly. "He's on Pluto…"

Her eyes opened wide.

"We have any more corn chips?"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Where no human had ever been, A.P.H.R.O.D.I.T.E. flew on, passing by Neptune. They hoped Numbuh Three was right – the ship couldn't go much farther than Pluto and hope to return home.

Halfway between Neptune and Pluto, something happened…

Music filled their ears, and the voice of Ramon 4 started to sing!

_**I sing the body electric,**_

_**I celebrate the me yet to come,**_

_**I toast to my own reunion,**_

_**When I become one with the sun!**_

_**And I'll look back on Venus,**_

_**I'll look back on Mars,**_

_**And I'll burn with the fire**_

_**Of ten million stars,**_

_**And in time, and in time**_

_**We will all… be… stars!**_

_**I sing the body electric,**_

_**I glory in the glow of rebirth,**_

_**Creating my own tomorrow,**_

_**When I shall embody the Earth!**_

_**And I'll serenade Venus,**_

_**I'll serenade Mars**_

_**And I'll burn with the fire**_

_**Of ten million stars,**_

_**And in time, and in time,**_

_**We will all… be… stars!**_

_**And I'll look back on Venus,**_

_**I'll look back on Mars,**_

_**And I'll burn with the fire**_

_**Of ten million stars,**_

_**And in time, and in time**_

_**We will all… be… stars!**_

_**We are the emperors now,**_

_**And we are the czars,**_

_**And in time, and in time,**_

_**We will all… be… stars!**_

"Who'd have ever known he'd have a great singing voice?" commented Bubbles, as they started to orbit Pluto.

"There…" said Numbuh Three, pointing to a cluster of hills.

"Start landing sequence, Numbuh Two," ordered Numbuh One.

Slowly, A.P.H.R.O.D.I.T.E. touched down, landing on her feet.

They all looked around. The landscape was dark. The Sun was only slightly brighter than a normal star from this place. Ominous hills dotted the icy landscape. In the sky was a huge moon – Pluto's sole satellite, the real Charon.

Ten minutes later, Numbuh Three donned her specially made spacesuit.

"We're counting on you, Numbuh Three," said Numbuh One. "Ramon 4 trusts you, so you're our best bet for paying him a friendly visit. Good luck…"

"Wait!" exclaimed Numbuh Four. "Let me go with her!"

"Negative on that Numbuh Four," sighed Numbuh One. "You don't like Rainbow Monkeys, so odds arehe won't like you much. Numbuh Three has to do this alone…"

He handed her the manuscript which the strange writing was written on.

Numbuh Three headed for the airlock…

They all watched as she exited the craft.

_Good luck Kuki… _thought Numbuh Four, as she watched her move away from the craft.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Pluto was even smaller than Earth's moon, so the gravity on it was incredibly low. It was very awkward for Numbuh Three to get used to this environment. Fortunately, she had taken her share of low-gravity training exercises.

She felt around, and sensed the presence she had been following from a cave in the side of a mountain. She leapt towards it…

When she got their, she was surprised to see that the gravity was the same as that of Earth. As she walked forward, a light came on…

"Ramon?" she called out.

"**Kuki…" **said a familiar voice. **"You came back… I knew you'd come back…"**

Another light came on, and the robotic, somewhat jumbled piece of machinery that had once been called Rainbow Monkey 4-Ever appeared in the back of the cave. He didn't look like his former self at all anymore – almost all of his padding and stuffing had been worn away, replaced by machinery and computers that he had salvaged during his exile.

"**I hoped you'd come visit me again, Kuki," **he said. **"You were the one who freed me from my anger…"**

Kuki hugged Ramon.

"**Your hugs are so sweet…" **said Ramon, with a grin.

"So what have you been doing with yourself, Ramon?" she asked.

"**Well," **answered the robot, **"after I found a way to log on to Earth internet programs, mostly I've been writing fanfiction. It helps pass the time…"**

"Neat!" exclaimed Numbuh Three.

"**Also, I sing… I recite poetry…" **

He sighed.

"**I just wish I could go bowling…"**

Numbuh Three gave a strange look.

"Uhm, yeah," she replied. "Look, Ramon, there's an important reason I came… Do you understand the Language Primordial?"

"**Of course!" **answered Ramon. **"I am fluent in over six-hundred ancient languages, including the Language Primordial!"**

That sounded hopeful, so Numbuh Three held up the document.

"Then could you translate this?" she asked.

"**Let me see,"** he said.

A robotic arm came out of the wall and took the document. Ramon 4's eyes glowed, and beeping noises protruded from him as he turned the pages.

A look of worry crossed his face.

"**Kuki," **he said, slowly, **"I can translate this into plain English if you desire, but I warn you… If you learn what is written here, you may be frightened…"**

"I have to know," answered Numbuh Three. "The Supreme Commander herself has ordered that it has to be translated."

"**Very well," **said Ramon.

A printer emerged from the wall, and started to print out a translation…

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Numbuh Three read the document with Ramon looking over her shoulder.

"Wow," she mused. "But what's this thing?"

"**That I do not know," **answered Ramon. **"And that scares even me."**

"Well, I have to go, Ramon…" sighed Numbuh Three.

She hugged him again.

"**Farewell, Kuki," **he said. **"Good luck… And check out the penname 'Rainbow Rider' on will!" chuckled Numbuh Three, turning to leave.**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

A short time later, A.P.H.R.O.D.I.T.E. was heading for home, while Numbuh One was reading aloud from the document.

The members of the two teams shuddered with every paragraph he read.

At last he finished. They all decided to head straight for the Moonbase.

Within an hour, the Moonbase came into view.

"This is Numbuh One of Sector V calling," he spoke into a speaker. "Requesting docking permission."

"Permission granted," said a voice. "Welcome to Moonbase…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Soon after, they were in Numbuh 362's office again.

Numbuh One threw the translated document on the table.

"It isn't pretty chief," he said. "As far as evil plans go, this one beats all."

"I'll read it," she answered, "but can you give me the abbreviated version?"

"Okay, get this," responded Numbuh One. "Charon has fortresses like the one in the Galapagos situated all around the world, and their locations are all in a specific _pattern._

"Each fortress has some sort of arcane power source hidden at the core. He's planning a ritual of some sort, and when the time is right, the fortresses will all form points of a gigantic magical symbol, which he'll use to summon a… creature of some sort which he calls a… Wvuxic.

"Unfortunately, this document doesn't say what that is… But if he needs a symbol half the size of the Earth to bring it here, it can't be good."

Numbuh 362 paused.

"Okay," she pondered. "That's the what. Now all we need to know is the why. Just why does this Charon have such a mad-on for the Kids Next Door? Before the thing with Cree, we never even heard of him…"

"Like a lot of the goons we fight have _any _good reason to hate kids," muttered Snowball.

"Point taken, Numbuh 99," replied 362. "But we can't wait and see what this Wvuxic is… we have to stop him before he gets a chance to summon it… And for that we need more information…"

And then, the sword on the table started to glow with intense light!

"What's happening!" shouted Bubbles.

"Is it making its choice?" asked Blossom.

Numbuh 362 looked at the sword.

"Not yet," she said, in anticipation. "But it is narrowing down its choices. It will show three to ten numerals on its blade, and it will eventually pick an operative who has one of those Numbuhs…"

They all watched, as the blade started to glow…

The first numeral that formed was a red "1".

"All right Numbuh One!" shouted Numbuh Two, slapping him on the back.

Then a blue "2" formed…

"All right yourself!" Numbuh One responded.

Then a green "3" formed…

"Yippee!" laughed Numbuh Three.

There was a pause.

Slowly, another number formed. It was an orange "4".

"Me?" said Numbuh Four. "Well, this thing has good taste!"

There was another long pause.

And then, slowly, a purple "5" appeared.

Numbuh Five blushed.

The glowing stopped, but the numbers remained.

"Well," said Numbuh 362, "it's narrowed its choices – to the five members of Sector V. I can't say when it will make its final choice, but it should be soon…"

All the members of Sector V looked at each other.

"By the way people," said Numbuh 362, sternly. "There will be NO arguing among yourselves! The decision is up to the sword itself, and its decision will be _final!" _

"Yes sir!" they all said.

"In the meantime," she continued, "we've got more things to figure out…"

**0**

**0**

**0**

_**Coming up next…**_

_**Sector P investigates another hidden fortress, this time in a strange but romantic setting! The race to stop Charon from completing his master plan begins, in a chapter called "Vive Le Kids Next Door", coming soon.**_

**0**

**0**

**0**

_Kid Trivia: A "Powerpuff Girls" rock opera called "See Me Feel Gnomy" was made that was set to air in the final season. The episode aired in Great Britain, but for unknown reasons, was never released in the United States. This is possibly for the best, because reviews for it were not very good. _


	9. Vive Le Kids Next Door

_Before I start, I'd like to make one thing clear before someone corrects me. _

_Although Bubbles is fluent in several languages (human and otherwise), French is not one of them. I checked. (Blossom only knows Chinese, and Buttercup doesn't seem to possess any linguistic talents.)_

**0 0 0 0 0**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**CHAPTER EIGHT**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**Vive Le Kids Next Door**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**0 0 0 0 0**

Several days went by.

Sector V and Sector P went over every detail of their copies of the document, while the researchers at the Moonbase combed their libraries and databases for information on this Wvuxic creature.

Fortunately, adult tyranny was at an all time low, and so were attacks on Townsville. The Powerpuff Girls fought only one monster that week, and Sector V trashed one of Mr. Wink and Mr. Fibb's giant robots, but little more had to be done but study the new enemy.

Friday after school in the Sector P Treehouse, Buttercup was pacing back and forth in mid-air while the other members of her team were studying the document again. Snowball was slowly eating from a box of kitty munchies.

"I don't see what the big problem is…" muttered Buttercup. "They need all of these fortresses to do the ritual, right? We already know where one of them is, so if we go there and tear the place down, we break the whole system!"

"It doesn't look like it's that easy, Buttercup," said Snowball.

She turned to page three.

"The magical power core hidden in each base has multiple functions, according to this," she said. "One of the functions is to give the structure it's housed in amazing regenerative properties."

"Say again?" asked Buttercup.

Blossom sighed.

"We tear down a fortress, the power core builds it again," she replied.

"Then we just wreck one of the power cores!" exclaimed Buttercup.

"Again, easier said than done," muttered Snowball. "According to this, each core is an artifact that was created by the cooperation of twenty sorcerers, each of them using a spell said in the Language Primordial. That likely makes even going near the cores a dangerous prospect, and they're probably can't be destroyed simply by smashing them."

"Well we've got to do something!" squeaked Bubbles. "Get more information! Something that can help us!"

Then a familiar ringing went off.

Even after becoming Kids Next Door, the Powerpuffs still kept their signature hotline in their base. They warned the mayor that they wouldn't follow him blindly anymore, but they wouldn't turn their backs on Townsville if a crisis occurred.

Blossom picked up the phone.

"Yes?" she said.

"Hello, Numbuh 51," said a soft voice.

"Who is this?" said Blossom, suspiciously.

"Turn your speakerphone on," said the voice.

Blossom hit a button, as her teammates gathered around.

"You want answers about Charon?" said the voice. "I can give them to you. Meet me in the condemned movie theater on Cracken Drive at ten tonight, and you'll get answers…"

He hung up.

"Who was that?" asked Bubbles.

"I don't know…" said Blossom.

"I could be a trap…" sneered Buttercup.

"But it could be a way to get information!" replied Blossom. "I say we meet him there!

"We can handle a trap anyway…"

"Okay, I'm in…" agreed Buttercup, sullenly.

"Me too…" sighed Bubbles.

"Okay," said Snowball. "What have we got to lose?"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Ten PM.

The four members of Sector P slowly opened a door, revealing the grungy inside of a movie theater that had been closed down a year ago. This place was an eyesore and a fire hazard; why they hadn't torn it down months ago was anyone's guess.

Snowball readied her S.P.L.A.N.K.E.R. in case an enemy leapt out of the shadows, and her other hand rested by the mustard gun at her hip.

"A little light?" she asked.

Buttercup blinked, and her eyes lit up like a flashlight.

She looked around at the abandoned lobby. At first they saw nothing but dust, a torn carpet, and a run-down concession stand. A smell reminiscent of burnt popcorn filled the air.

"Over here," said a gravely voice.

They turned towards a corner, just in time to see a cigarette lighter flick on.

Buttercup turned her eyes towards the man, and saw him clearly. His face was weather-beaten and worn, and his hair was prematurely gray. He was dressed in an old-fashioned trenchcoat. He wore dark sunglasses.

He slowly lit the cigarette in his lips and took a drag.

"You shouldn't smoke, mister," said Bubbles. "It's bad for you."

The man chuckled.

"Numbuh 218," he replied, "when you work in my line of business, lung cancer, heart disease, and emphysema are the least of your worries…"

He exhaled the smoke.

"But on the other hand, you're right…" he continued. "It's a disgusting habit, one I never want you kids to take up, capish?"

"Why did you call us here?" demanded Blossom.

"Straight to the point," said the man. "I like that. You Kids Next Door are looking for dirt on Charon… And what I've got can't be dirtier. You see…"

"Hold up!" shouted Buttercup. "Why would an adult care what happens to the Kids Next Door?"

The man took another drag on the cigarette.

"Because," he replied, "while Charon's goal is to make children suffer, his plans, if successful, will make a lot of adults suffer as well."

He paused.

"The fortress you invaded in the Galapagos was a baby," he continued. "A low place on the totem pole. He's got a network of these places in precise global locations. You likely won't have any luck breaking into them…"

He took a last drag on his cigarette. He tossed it to the ground and stamped it out.

"But his minor residences are less impenetrable. And I know of a minor residence with some major information.

"Listen closely. You have to be in Paris tomorrow at four PM, their time. Hang out by the Eiffel Tower. You'll see the big man himself. He's the only one who can open the door to this place without setting off the defenses, but you might be able to slip in after him if you're careful.

"I know that he keeps what you need in a safe behind a nude painting of a woman in his study. Get it, survive the trip out, and odds are you'll be one step ahead of him."

"A nude painting of a woman?" squeaked Bubbles.

"Maybe when you're decommissioned you'll understand why artists make such paintings," said the man with a smile.

Then he frowned.

"I only ask you girls one thing – keep my name out of it."

"Sure…" said Snowball.

She paused.

"Uhm, what _is _your name?" she asked.

The man paused.

"Jules Delgado," he replied. "But do your best to forget that name."

"What name?" asked Blossom.

"Great," replied Jules. "And good luck…"

He turned and vanished into the shadows.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

The next morning, Sector P was loading equipment into the C.H.I.M.E.R.A.

"You sure about this?" asked Buttercup.

"Look," replied Blossom, "I ran the name 'Jules Delgado' through the KND database, and he has no record of anti-kid activity. The database never even heard of him."

"Shouldn't we call the boss?" asked Bubbles.

"We don't need to bother her," replied Blossom. "Section 42C of the operations manual says that a Sector does not need official approval to follow up on a lead in an existing case."

"Shouldn't we at least call Sector V?" asked Snowball. "They're in on this case with us."

"I did," replied Blossom. "They weren't home. Probably off wrestling with the Delightful Children again or something…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Sector P didn't know how right they were.

Sector V had gotten word of another one of their archenemies' schemes. The Delightful Children were in a very bad mood as of late. A trip to Hap Happy Land had gone sour, because one of them was too short to go on most of the rides.

And it was a well known fact that if one the Delightful Children couldn't participate in an activity, it ruined it for the rest of them. They had tried to separate once, and that had been one of their worst defeats ever – when Lenny's "strategy" caused their coffee supply to be cut off (forcing them to rely on weak store-bought stuff for the two months it took to rebuild the rig), they resolved never to separate again.

Anyway, the Delightfuls decided to take out their anger by wrecking the place, and had brought one of their infernal devices to do it – this one a giant tank armed with a huge drill and several lasers.

And at the moment, Sector V was in over their heads.

Numbuhs One, Three, Four, and Five blasted their weapons at the huge drilling machine, but their attempts just bounced off its armored shell.

The evil children fired lasers to the sides, herding the four operatives into a tight group…

"Well, well," they said. "Maybe you should have brought something stronger…"

"And maybe you should have been more creative!" shouted Numbuh Five. "I mean, a giant drill?"

The four operatives backed up against a wall.

_That's it… _thought Numbuh One.

"Time to drill the point home, Kids Next Door!" they laughed.

The drill started to spin…

Then the Children paused.

"Hey, wait a minute!" they shouted. "Where's Hoagie?"

"Look up…" chuckled Numbuh One.

The Delightfuls did so… And were startled as their tank was grabbed by a huge clamp!

As they watched, they were pulled up into the air by what appeared to be a flying carousel!

**(Kids Next Door M.E.R.R.Y.G.O.R.O.C.K.E.T.: Monstrous Electron Rocket Rotates Your Grown Opposition Round On Carnival Kontraption Emulating Teenagers.)**

Numbuh Two chuckled as he set the coordinates from the cockpit.

"Time for a little around-the-world action, you yo-yos!" he laughed.

The carousel started to spin, and the Delightful Children screamed. After about thirty seconds of spinning at 100 RPMs, the rocket let go, sending the tank flying into the ocean.

The rest of Sector V watched the dizzy Children swim to the surface with binoculars.

"Think they learned their lesson?" asked Numbuh Four.

The four operatives thought for a minute.

"NAAH!" they all said at once.

They laughed.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

That afternoon at 3 PM (European time), the four members of Sector P were in the City of Lights.

With the Eiffel Tower in plain view, they had stopped at a quaint open-air café. Their weapons were stashed in bags at their feet.

"Everyone try to look inconspicuous," muttered Bubbles, as a waiter handed them menus.

"Sure," muttered Buttercup. "What's more inconspicuous than three pink, blue, and green kindergartners with a giant cat…"

"There is one thing I love about France…" chuckled Snowball.

A small poodle came up to her and barked.

She kicked it away.

"…the teeny-tiny dogs…" she giggled.

They all looked at the menus.

"This is in French!" exclaimed Buttercup.

"What did you expect?" asked Blossom. "Japanese?"

Buttercup sighed.

"Why don't we all order something different," suggested Bubbles. "Then one of us should get the right thing…"

"I wonder how much you're supposed to tip here?" pondered Snowball, looking at the prices.

She sighed. The currency exchange had been trouble enough…

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

A short time later (after tipping fifteen percent, which the waiter didn't object to), the team wandered towards the Tower.

"Well, that wasn't bad," commented Blossom.

"Yeah," agreed Buttercup. "I just wish I knew what it was we ate…"

"Girls!" whispered Blossom.

They all quieted down. She put her hand to her ear.

"Cree…" she whispered.

They all new what to do. They pushed a button on their belts, and the headbands they were wearing started to glow. A transparent, flexible shell covered them…

And then they glowed, and faded from sight.

Youth was the Kids Next Door's greatest weapon, and there was always the threat that a lunatic would try to take that away from them. The Birthday Suit was thus standard issue. It was a miraculous device that could prevent any unnatural aging.

But since its invention, several variations of the Birthday Suit had been developed. This model came with a personal cloaking device that could hide an operative from all non-2x4 technology. They weren't sure if it would work on magic, but hopefully Charon wouldn't suspect they were there and try to look for them using magic.

At that moment, Cree walked by (dressed in street clothes – apparently) and at her side was the dark, hooded man they had seen just before Cree was about to have her memory wiped.

_Charon… _thought Blossom.

She could feel strange energy coming from him. It was as if she was close to a fireplace, but the feeling wasn't heat – it was something stranger…

"There it is…" said Charon to Cree. "The _Tour de Eiffel!"_

"Looks just like the Eiffel Tower…" commented Cree.

"It _is _the Eiffel Tower, soufflé-brain!" shouted Charon, slapping her. "Boy are you dense… Come on…"

They walked towards the tower, and the four operatives followed slowly.

Charon paused.

"What?" said Cree.

"Odd?" said Charon. "I thought I felt a presence…"

The operatives gulped. They saw Charon look at them, and his eyes glowed.

At that moment, they felt their veins start to throb, as if their blood was moving faster.

Charon shrugged.

"Eh," he said. "It was nothing…"

The Girls were confused, but they continued to follow him…

And slowly, in her mind, Blossom was contemplating what had happened. Charon had suspected that they were following him… He likely cast a spell of some sort to reveal hidden objects…

But they remained hidden…

Why?

The answer slowly started to come to Blossom. She smirked…

Charon and Cree walked up to the base of the Eiffel Tower. Charon gestured, and everyone strangely felt the need to look away…

Even stranger, the Girls resisted it easily.

Charon took a green gemstone out of his robe and started to chant:

"Ah quan lahts reh tah soo!" he chanted, as the gem began to glow. "Ah quan lahts reh tah soo!"

Suddenly, a large set of double doors appeared in the middle of the street. They slowly opened.

"What does that mean, anyway?" asked Cree.

"Roughly translated it's 'The master of the house approaches' in Draconic," he replied.

They walked in.

Quickly, the Powerpuff Girls and Snowball rushed in before the door closed.

They stopped. They assessed their surroundings.

They were in a long hallway. The door was still behind them. They hoped that meant while getting _in _required magic, getting _out _was a simple matter of opening the door.

They watched as Cree and Charon walked to the end of the hallway to a t-junction and turned left.

"Okay guys," whispered Buttercup. "All we need to do is find Charon's study and whatever is in the safe, and get out of here ASA-fast!"

"But how do we find his study?" asked Bubbles.

"You're the espionage expert!" snapped Buttercup.

"Okay…" said Bubbles thinking. "Maybe if we find a henchman and get him to tell us where it is…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Cree had to admit, working for Charon was much better than working for Father.

The guest room she was currently in was fit for a princess!

As she sat at the vanity, she noticed the mirror. She let out a squeal of delight. She had seen Charon use these mirrors – they were conduits that let you talk to an oracle. The basic "mirror, mirror on the wall" type of thing.

She smiled.

It couldn't hurt…

She tapped the mirror, and a smoky haze started to form in it.

"Looking glass upon the wall," she asked, "who's the fairest of them all?"

A silvery face formed in the mirror.

"Honey, don't ask…" it sighed in a sarcastic voice.

She gave it a look.

"Come on, answer me!" she demanded.

"I dunno," it said. "Beyonce Knowles is looking pretty good lately…"

Cree sighed.

"All right then, who's the fairest in my high school?" she asked.

"You want to know who's fairer than you in your school?" it replied.

It reached down with ghostly hands and produced a yearbook.

"You want me to go alphabetically?" it asked.

Cree seethed. Of all the oracles Charon could have gotten, he had to get a wise guy.

"Do you wise off to Charon like this?" she asked.

"Of course not," it said. "I know better than to bite the hand that feeds me."

"Okay, okay…" muttered Cree, "why don't we ask an _easy _question…"

She paused.

"Who was the better KND operative, me, or my sister?"

The oracle stared at her.

"You really want me to answer that?" it asked.

"YES!" she shouted.

"Okay then, let me answer your question _with_ a question," asked the oracle, sternly. "Who's a better member of ANY organization, one who remains true and loyal, or one who purposely becomes a traitor?"

"TRAITOR?" shouted Cree. "I'm not a…"

She paused.

She didn't finish.

"You ever hear about Benedict Arnold?" asked the oracle.

"Yeah, everyone has," answered Cree. "HE was a traitor."

"Yes, and after his plans failed, he escaped to Great Britain," continued the oracle. "And in Britain, he was formally commended for his loyalty to the Crown. A 'loyalist', as they called them.

"But do you know something Cree? It wasn't only Americans who despised him for the rest of his life. Even in Britain, nobody trusted him. Nobody there even _liked_ him. He lived the rest of his life without friends or even many associates.

"People didn't like him because all traitors are despicable. The common people figured that if he'd betray the colonies that he was a part of, he'd betray anyone. A traitor was not a man to be trusted, even by the people whom he tried to help.

"And let me tell you something… Father never trusted you either for that reason. Your old Battle Ready Armor had a secret self destruct command that you didn't know about. He could have used it to blow you to pieces if you ever turned on him."

"You're lying!" shouted Cree.

"I'm an oracle, oracles _can't _lie," it responded. "Your new armor has no such device, but Charon doesn't care about whether you're trustworthy or not, for reasons I can't disclose."

"Tell me!" shouted Cree.

"Sorry, but _my_ loyalty is to him first," said the oracle. "But still, you'll find working for him much better than working for Father. The fringe benefits alone are quite enjoyable."

"Ooh, I ought to smash you into a million pieces!" yelled Cree.

"Heh," chuckled the oracle. "Well if you do that, you get seven years of bad luck, cupcake…"

"Oh, fog out!" shouted Cree.

The mirror fogged over.

A squeegee wiped a part of it clean, and the oracle's face appeared again.

"Like I told Charon, Cree," it scolded, "I don't do windows!"

It vanished.

Cree flopped on her bed and covered her head with a pillow.

_Okay, get a grip, _she thought. _What do you care what some dumb mirror thinks? I've been insulted by those brats a hundred times already…_

_Yeah, this is no different. If I'm gonna be a traitor, I'll be the traitor that made the Kids Next Door have nightmares about. When their Moonbase is a pile of rubble and they're crying their eyes out, they'll remember Numbuh 11, former head of Sector V, Cree Lincoln!_

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

A woman in a long, purple robe was standing in the hallway looking at an odd device. She wrote down something on a clipboard.

Someone tapped her on the shoulder.

"Excuse me," said a voice. "Where is Charon's study?"

She sighed.

"Five doors down, next to the Pepsi machine, where it's always been," she mumbled.

She paused.

"Hey wait a…" she started.

Before she could finish, a punch to the face from Buttercup knocked her out cold.

The team deactivated their Birthday Suits.

"Did you really have to hit her that hard?" asked Snowball, opening the door to a closet.

"Yes," replied Buttercup.

She took a set of keys off her belt.

Snowball dragged the unconscious sentry into the closet, and they closed the door.

After trying many of the keys, they finally found the right one, and locked her in.

"Let's just hope she doesn't come to too soon and start yelling for help," warned Blossom.

They activated the suits again, and went down the hallway.

The soda machine was easy to find, and the door to the study was easy to identify…

Mostly because the doorway was carved in stone, and had the image of a leering demon over it.

Buttercup prepared to knock it down…

"Wait!" warned Bubbled.

She tried the knob, and it opened.

"Unlocked?" said Buttercup in disbelief.

"Maybe he just thinks no one would dare come in without permission…" mumbled Blossom.

"Or maybe no one _wants _to come in here!" squeaked Bubbles, shivering with fright.

The room looked like a cross between a study and a vampire's crypt. The walls were painted blood red, and the couch and love seat was a deep purple. A desk made of what looked like black marble… covered in red lines that suggested veins. A fireplace (currently unlit) was in the corner, adorned with images of demons. The fire tools had handles that were also shaped like beasts.

"Let's find what we need quick!" shrieked Bubbles.

"Okay," shuddered Blossom. "The guy said that the safe was behind a nude painting…"

They looked at the works of art along the walls of the room… Most of it was rather unpleasant.

One painting was simply a bunch of evil-looking eyes on a black background. Another was the Grim Reaper standing over a war-torn battlefield. Yet another was a painting of a woman being burned at the stake…

…but she was clothed.

"Quite a collection you have, Charon…" mutter Blossom, sarcastically.

"There!" shouted Snowball, pointing to a painting.

It was indeed a nude painting of a woman, but she wasn't a _human_ woman. The figure had horns on her forehead, a barbed tail, and large bat-like wings. Her face had dark eyebrows and a sinister smile. She was reclining against a rock in a dark cave.

They read the portrait's title: _Dalama the Succubus. _

"Humph," said Blossom, tearing it down.

A safe was indeed behind the painting. It seemed to be a standard safe, with a combination lock.

But that didn't mean it wasn't booby-trapped. They had heard about some of the more secure safes in the business. If you got the wrong combination, it could be bad. Sometimes, even if you got one number of the combination wrong, it could spring a trap.

The four members of Sector P didn't know that their fears were valid. The safe was situated in front of a small magical cell that would imprison everyone in the room if someone tried to open it and failed (or tried to tear it open), as well as alert Charon. Whether it could hold the Powerpuff Girls, he wasn't sure, but it had held several powerful creatures in the past.

The Girls didn't know this, but they sensed a trap was waiting for them. Still, they were bound by the oaths they took when they joined the KND to get this safe open… Regardless of danger.

Blossom and Buttercup nodded to each other. They knew how to do this…

Blossom put her ear to the safe and put her hand on the dial; Buttercup stared at the safe, looking at the inner mechanism with her x-ray vision…

With a steady hand, Blossom turned slowly…

"Stop…" said Buttercup.

Blossom paused. She slowly started to turn the other way…

She started to sweat.

"Stop…" said Buttercup again.

"Third time's the charm…" whispered Bubbles.

Blossom slowly turned it the other way…

Slowly…

"Stop…" whispered Buttercup.

Blossom slowly took her hand off the dial, and then turned the winch.

With a click, the safe opened.

"PHEW!" said all four of them at once.

They looked in the safe.

Inside was a small, leather-bound book. Blossom took it and looked at the cover. It was covered with letters that looked familiar enough, but the words seemed nonsensical. The book was bound by a clasp that seemed to have no lock.

"A book?" asked Buttercup.

"Maybe it's his diary!" squeaked Bubbles in excitement.

"Men don't keep diaries, Bubbles, they keep _journals,_"said Snowball. "But still, this is a valuable find!"

"Well, let's amscray!" shouted Blossom.

They were so excited that they had avoided the trap set on the safe that they had overlooked one little thing…

The possibility that the journal itself had been protected.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Meanwhile, Cree was in a lounge with her new boss; he was drinking red wine, she was drinking root beer.

"So," asked Cree, trying to make conversation, "you ever been married?"

"Eh, almost once, but that was a long story," answered Charon.

"Uh huh," muttered Cree.

There was a pause.

"So what did you do with the Rowdyruffs?" she asked.

"Tucked them away someplace where they won't get into trouble," he replied. "I might need them again soon."

There was another pause.

"You see last night's _Sopranos_?" she asked.

"I don't get HBO," he answered.

"You should, it's a good show…"

"So I've heard… what the…"

He reached into his robe. He took out another gemstone.

"What in blazes?" he said, angrily.

"What's wrong?" asked Cree.

"Someone managed to not only sneak into here, but he managed to break into my safe and steal my journal…" muttered Charon.

"That person is either very brave, or very stupid," he commented. "And soon to be very hurt."

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

With Bubbles carrying Snowball and Blossom clutching the journal to her chest, Sector P flew down the hallway at top speed.

"I think we took a wrong turn!" gasped Bubbles.

"Well stopping to ask directions again is out of the question!" answered Snowball.

They entered into a huge, circular room, with five exits leading from it.

"Okay, quick people," said Blossom. "We need to decide which of these five hallways to take…"

Suddenly, two of the hallways were closed off, as stone doors slammed shut on them.

"Uh, which of the three?" muttered Blossom, getting nervous.

Snowball pulled a soda-bottle blaster off her back…

Two more doors slammed shut, leaving only the hallway in front of them.

"Well, problem solved!" said Buttercup with a nervous chuckle.

Then the door to the hallway they came through slammed shut as well.

"New problem!" squeaked Bubbles.

Then two shapes appeared in the hallway in front of them.

Charon and Cree stepped out, Cree dressed in her golden Battle Ready Armor.

"Well, the Powerpuff Girls…" muttered Charon.

He looked at Snowball.

"And their pet cat I've been hearing so much about…"

"PET?" shouted Snowball in rage.

"The Kids Next Door's newest recruits…" he said. "I believe you have something that's my property…"

Blossom looked at Cree.

"Gee, Cree," she said with a grin. "I almost didn't recognize you! New haircut?"

"You have to tell us who your tailor is!" chuckled Buttercup. "I know this other evil ninja assassin who's in the market for a custom-made ballroom gown!"

"Let me at them…" growled Cree. "I spent three days strapped to a chair, barely able to _move _because of these brats!"

"Patience, Cree, patience…" cautioned Charon.

He put his arms behind his back and strode up to Blossom.

"Now give that back like a good little girl," he said, pointing to the journal, "and you might not have to suffer."

Blossom held it tightly to her chest, and floated away from him…

"Now, Blossom!" laughed Charon. "I _could _just _take _it from you, you know…"

"You and what army?" shouted Buttercup.

_"This _one!" shouted Charon.

Heraised his arms, and a dark portal sprang up behind him! Twenty-six of the figures in purple robes were cast out, landing thirteen to either side of him!

"You had to ask…" muttered Snowball.

The members of Sector P "stood" with their backs to each other as the henchmen drew swords that started to glow with black energy…

"Kids Next Door…" shouted Blossom. "BATTLE STATIONS!"

"Bring it on!" yelled Buttercup.

Blossom quickly stuffed the journal into her satchel. The four operatives raised their fists…

And they charged, in four directions at once!

Snowball flipped and landed on one hand, and then on her feet. She raised her weapon…

…and a swipe from a sword cut it in half.

She stared in the face of five of thugs. Charon came up behind them.

"I've heard that cats have nine lives…" he muttered.

He pointed.

"Kill her ten times!" he shouted.

The thugs raised their swords.

Snowball's claws snapped out of her paws.

"I warn you…" she said. "Cornered cats fight like mad…"

The five thugs rushed her…

Faster than they could even see, her feet made five kicks, each striking them in the face!

They fell flat on their backs.

"They never believe you…" she sighed.

"D'oh!" grunted Charon.

Buttercup faced down three of them.

"Come on you goons!" she threatened. "I'll take ya with one hand tied behind my back! With my eyes closed! With my feet chained together!"

The three thugs raised their swords and clashed them together. A beam of dark magic shot forward, striking her! She screamed!

She growled.

"I take back those offers…" she snarled.

BIFF! POW! SOCK!

They all fell to the ground and saw stars.

"Can't you do anything right?" shouted Charon.

Bubbles was currently in the worst shape. Ten of the henchmen were closing in on her. Some of them were using the same spell the others had used on her sister – and a few hit her.

"What is this, pick on Bubbles day?" she cried.

They all started to close in on her.

She raised her right arm and did a split in mid-air.

Then she turned upside-down.

"Spinning helicopter kick!" she shouted.

She started to spin around at high speed! She plowed into the thugs, and they were thrown against the wall with a splat!

She stopped spinning and landed. She wobbled dizzily for a few seconds.

"That move… still needs… some work…" she gasped.

Charon groaned.

"So hard to find good help these days…" he muttered.

A group of the thugs closed in on Blossom.

"Come and get me!" she egged them.

They pointed their swords…

And streams of fire shot from them! Blossom hollered!

She angrily brushed the soot off of her dress.

"You like play with fire, huh?" she scowled. "Try some ice!"

She inhaled, and blew her patented ice breath all over them! They froze solid.

"Come on, you idiots!" shouted Charon. "You're making me look bad!"

Snowball kicked one of the attackers, and his sword flew from his hand. She caught it.

"You don't need them for that, pal!" she laughed.

She swung the sword four times, and disarmed four of the thugs.

They looked at Snowball in fear…

She made a roundhouse kick, knocking them down!

Cree gritted her teeth as Blossom plowed into another group of them.

"Eek…" she muttered. "That hurt just seeing it…"

"Shut up!" shouted Charon.

Buttercup threw the second-to-last thug into the last one, and they both were out.

"Got any more?" she asked. "This is fun!"

Charon was now clearly angry. His eyes glowed red.

"My sentries…" he cursed. "Made fools of by three little girls and a cat…"

He walked past his downed soldiers.

"I guess it's true what they say," he said, as flames started to form in his hands, "if you want something done right, you have to do it yourself!"

Buttercup dropped her tough attitude. Now even she was scared. The fact that Charon himself was in this room was a weak point in their plan for getting out that they really hadn't considered until now…

"Oh, great, guys…" she muttered. "I think this guy might be too much for us to handle…"

"Be brave people…" said Blossom, "I have a little theory about Charon here…"

Flames started grow in the dark sorcerer's hands…

"A theory?" exclaimed Bubbles. "You want to fill us in?"

"No time!" stammered Blossom. "Just… pray!"

A huge ball of fire formed in Charon's hands.

_Don't let me be wrong… _thought Blossom.

The sorcerer hurled the ball of flames, and an inferno erupted around the four operatives!

"Well," said Charon with a grin. "All's well that ends…"

He gasped in surprise!

The Sector P members were still there, and they weren't even singed!

"Well," said Blossom, with a smirk. "Well, well, well…"

"That's not possible!" shouted Charon. "That blast would have taken down a polaris demon! You should be ashes!"

"Maybe you should change the batteries pops!" laughed Buttercup.

They all giggled.

"I'll teach you to laugh at me!" shouted Charon.

Lightning bolts shot from his fingers, striking the four operatives!

"Hey, that tickles!" laughed Snowball.

Charon looked at his smoking hands in disbelief…

The faces of the four operatives turned serious…

They charged at the evil wizard!

Three punches and one kick later, he fell flat on his face.

As Cree ran to his side, Bubbles picked up Snowball, and they flew out the only available exit.

"Boss!" shouted Cree.

"This did NOT happen!" warned Charon. "You did not see ANY of this!"

Cree gulped.

"Uh, boss," she said. "Why are all your sentries lying around? I just came here from the snack bar and…"

"Good girl…" snarled Charon.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

"Hurry, before he rallies his troops!" shouted Blossom.

They turned a corner, and the door they had come through to get into this place was in sight.

Hoping that there wasn't any special requirement to open it, they charged towards it…

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

On the streets around the Eiffel Tower, tourists and passerbys got quite a shock to see a door burst open in the middle of the road, and four forms fly out of it.

Blossom pulled the journal out of her satchel.

"Mission accomplished!" she said, kissing it.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

While Snowball was flying the C.H.I.M.E.R.A. home, Blossom sent a radio message to Sector V.

She had already tried to open the journal, but it was locked tight. But she was sure they could find a way to open it.

"Calling Sector V," she called. "Come in Sector V…"

Numbuh One's face appeared on the screen.

"Sector V here…" he said. "Oh! Numbuh 51…"

"Numbuh One, listen!" said Blossom. "We need you to call an emergency meeting for both of our teams tomorrow… We have urgent matters to discuss."

"Oh?" asked Numbuh One. "Do you have a lead?

"Oh yeah…" grinned Blossom. "A _big _lead…"

**0**

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_**Coming up next: **_

_**What is Blossom's "theory"? What secrets does the journal hold? And what is Charon plotting?**_

_**Information will be given as the plot unravels, in a chapter called "Shattered Secrets".**_

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**0**

_Kid Trivia:_

_The KND's foes Mr. Wink and Mr. Fibb were modeled after Mr. Kidd and Mr. Wint, henchman villains from the 1971 James Bond film _Diamonds Are Forever. _Kidd and Wint looked similar to Wink and Fibb, talked like them, and addressed each other in a similar fashion. Although they were assassins, Kidd and Wint, as far we know, didn't hate kids any more than they did anyone else._


	10. Shattered Secrets

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**CHAPTER TEN**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**Shattered Secrets**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**0 0 0 0 0**

Cree was a little on edge. This was the first time she had seen her new boss's face. Until now he had kept it hidden beneath that hood.

If not for the huge black eye that Buttercup had given him, he might have been handsome, with his silky-blonde hair, deep brown eyes and unblemished complexion.

Cree handed him an ice pack.

"Ow…" he groaned, holding it against his eye. "Those four just made number one on most-hated kids list!

"Breaking into my private study, stealing my personal journal, making my sentries look like kung-fu B-movie rejects…"

He clenched his fist, and sparks flew from it.

"Well, when the Wvuxic is summoned, I'll make sure theirs is the first Treehouse it destroys!"

"Why didn't your magic work on them?" asked Cree.

"I have absolutely no idea…" muttered Charon.

He paused.

"…which, if I recall correctly, is a phrase I have not yet uttered in my entire life! Blast, I hate it when there's something I don't know!"

He got up and started to pace.

"My magic has vaporized demons that could withstand anti-tank weapons," he mused. "I've fought off dragons that could have defeated aircraft carriers and stealth bombers. I defeated the Minerva Sisters and sent them screaming into the Dark Void – they were even stronger than the Powerpuff Girls, from what I've heard.

"And yet, my magic couldn't scratch those three pixie-colored heroines and their cat. Am I missing something?"

He sighed.

"Boss," said Cree, "shouldn't we send someone to get back that journal before they start reading your personal secrets?"

"Oh, let them keep it," sighed Charon, "they'll never get it opened…"

He chuckled.

"Well, not unless the Kids Next Door are recruiting _much _younger than they usually do…"

"Oww…" he moaned, clutching his ribs where Bubbles had socked him.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

At around noon the next day, the C.H.I.M.E.R.A. flew into Sector V headquarters, and the crew disembarked.

Buttercup had the journal under her arm, but attempts to force it open had been futile. There had be some trick to open it…

Numbuhs One, Two, Three, and Five were waiting in the hangar.

"Welcome Girls," said Numbuh One, "we take it you have leads?"

"A whopper," replied Buttercup. "Two whoppers actually."

"Well, we're just waiting on Numbuh Four," muttered Numbuh Two. "As soon as he gets here, we can start. He said he might be a little late."

"He seemed a little upset when I spoke to him over the communicator," said Numbuh One, they went to the meeting room. "Frankly, I don't know what he could be upset ab…"

The sound of the elevator coming up was heard.

"Oh, here he comes," said Numbuh One.

As the door opened, they heard Numbuh Four say, "Come on, quiet down," followed by a squealing noise.

They saw him exit the elevator, carrying a small form in his arms.

"Numbuh Four!" shouted Numbuh One. "Why on earth did you bring your baby brother here?"

Numbuh Four sighed.

"My dad had to go to an emergency presentation at work," he started, "my mom is at her dumb bridge club, they couldn't find a sitter on Sunday, and they told me to watch Joey! What was I supposed to do, leave him home alone?"

Everybody chuckled.

"Well, make sure he doesn't hurt himself…" sighed Numbuh One.

As they walked to the meeting room, Numbuh Three looked at Joey.

"He looks just like you, Numbuh Four!" she exclaimed.

"It's the hair…" he answered with a sigh.

They all sat down in their spots.

Numbuh Four set Joey down next to his chair.

"STAY," he ordered.

Joey blew a raspberry as he turned his back.

Numbuh Four spun his head around, and Joey looked away.

"All right," said Numbuh One. "Numbuh 51 has the floor."

"Right!" exclaimed Blossom. "Our recent confrontation with Charon has given us a vital piece of information, and a potentially useful piece of information.

"First off, we have reason to believe that we have accidentally discovered a limit to Charon's personal powers – namely, his magic is ineffective against Chemical X!"

The Sector V operatives stared at her.

"Are you sure?" asked Numbuh Five.

"It sure looked that way," answered Blossom. "During the battle, his henchmen shot all sorts of magical energy at us, and _that_ hurt! However, when Charon himself used his own powerful magic on us, it had no effect… Except to make our hearts beat faster…

"Clearly, people, Charon might not know it, but his own brand of magic is helpless against anyone with Chemical X in their blood!"

"And that makes Sector P the perfect warriors to personally oppose him!" exclaimed Numbuh One.

"But there is something else," said Buttercup. "We also swiped his journal"

She tossed the journal to Numbuh One.

"Unfortunately," she added, "it's sealed with some kind of magic lock, and we can't open it… Apparently, just having Chemical X inside us won't negate his spells…"

Numbuh One looked at the writing on the cover.

"Weird," he said.

He read it:

"Goo bah gag la goo ma gah?" he read. "This is nonsense!"

At this point, Joey perked up…

He crawled towards Numbuh One.

"Joey, get back here!" ordered his big brother.

A smile crossed Numbuh One's face, as if a realization came to him.

"No, Numbuh Four, let Joey come right here…" he said. "Come on, Joey…"

Everyone looked at the Sector V leader strangely as Joey crawled up.

Joey looked at the cover of the journal, as if he could actually understand it!

"Goo bah gag la goo ma gah," he babbled. "Gah gab a ga goo mam ah!"

With a click, the journal opened.

"HA!" laughed Numbuh One. "Baby language!"

"Wha…?" said everyone in surprise.

"Charon wanted to make sure this journal was almost impossible for anyone to open," said Numbuh One with a smile, "so he set it with a command word written in a language even harder to understand than the Language Primordial…

"…to almost anyone over the age of two!"

He paused

"The command word to open the lock on the book was in plain sight," said Numbuh One, triumphantly, "but it could only be said by someone who understood baby language! And as we all know, Charon knows a Ilot/I of languages that only a select few know!"

"Baby language is a real language?" said a shocked Numbuh Two. "I thought what babies said was gibberish…"

"One theory says that infants see things in a way that other people can't," answered Numbuh Five, "and that their so-called gibberish is indeed an actual language that they use to describe the world. A simple language, but still a language."

"Thank you Joey," said Numbuh One with a smile. "Now go back to your brother…"

As Joey crawled back, he opened the book.

"No problem now…" he said.

He looked in it.

"Uh, slight problem…" he muttered.

"Don't tell me it's written in another weird language!" cried Numbuh Three.

"Not weird," answered Numbuh One. "But it's _French_."

He sighed.

"Can anyone here understand French?"

Numbuh Five raised her hand.

They all looked at her.

"Hello?" she said. "It's my mom's native language! Give it here!"

She took the journal and looked at the first entry.

"Okay," she started. "The first entry is dated about a year ago… I'll try to find what's important…"

She read:

"_The last of the old business has been taken care of. I confronted the Minerva Sisters today, and with my newfound abilities, they were pleading for mercy in no time. The brats thought they could destroy me – instead they will spend eternity imprisoned in the Dark Void. _

_Now that the old business is done away with, I can concentrate on the new. Construction of the last fortress is complete, and acquisition of the power cores can begin."_

She stopped.

"The Minerva Sisters…" muttered Blossom. "Somehow, that name sounds familiar…"

"We'll look them up later," said Numbuh One. "Continue, Numbuh Five."

Numbuh Five read again.

"Something about a trip to Greece…" she said. "Something about a spell he researched… Here we go…

"_Getting the twenty-one crystals were not easy. The guardian put up a great fight. I lost a great many men in the battle, but it will be worth it once the cores are in place._

"The next one is dated a week later…

"_The cores have been placed at the heart of each compound. Their magical energy should protect the fortresses from destruction, and provide an adequate power supply._

_I could summon the Wvuxic to punish the Kids Next Door right now if I desired, but I don't dare. If I did, the creature would not be controlled. Until I uncover the secret to doing so, my revenge will have to wait."_

She skimmed.

"Ooh, here's something interesting…"

"_I have gotten a good lead on a spell that might control the creature. Soon the Kids Next Door will pay for what they did to dear Josephine. She will be avenged…"_

"Josephine?" asked Numbuh Two.

Numbuh One rubbed his chin.

"My guess is she was an adult whom Global Command opposed – likely one who wouldn't be taken alive…"

He shuddered.

"We'll have to look that up too," he said. "Continue."

Numbuh Five continued.

"Next entry…

"_The lead was a dead end. The advisors who led me to it will be punished._

"Something here about a botched summoning spell… Something about how he summoned a five-headed fire-breathing hydra that got loose…"

"What's the date on that one?" asked Bubbles, curiously.

"Last October," answered Numbuh Five.

"So that's where the stupid thing came from," muttered Buttercup. "I still have burns from fighting that crazy thing!"

"Small world…" muttered Numbuh Four.

Numbuh Five skimmed through the text.

"Listen to this…"

"_Years of searching seemingly paid off, or so I thought. I discovered the sword belonging to the original Numbuh One, the founder of the Kids Next Door. The founder's ultimate fate is still unknown, but I found the sword drifting in the Realm of Thought. How it got there, even I'm not sure yet._

"_I intended to destroy the accursed thing, but unfortunately, the artifact is practically indestructible. Using it as a weapon against the Kids Next Door would be poetic irony, but the sword refuses to work for any adult._

"_Still, I know better than to throw it away. Perhaps it could eventually be of use to me…"_

She continued to skim.

"Not much except more stuff about 'relishing our utter defeat' and 'how we'll suffer forever'… basic villain stuff."

She skimmed.

After a while of skimming, she came to something that caught her eye.

"_I have devised a plan to gain a powerful ally. I heard that Cree Lincoln, a former member of my enemies' organization who turned on them, is seeking a weapon to defeat their latest recruits – supposedly her targets are giving other enemies of the KND a hard time, being exceptional operatives._

"_I have already contacted Cree through a subordinate, and my plan is relatively simple. My henchman will claim to sell her a weapon, and she won't suspect that it is a fake. When she tries to use it, she will almost certainly be captured. _

"_Then I will make Numbuh 362 an offer she would be foolish to refuse: Numbuh One's sword in exchange for their prisoner's freedom. And once she is saved from having her memory destroyed, Cree will follow me like a lamb. _

"_It may cost me the sword, but it's worthless to me anyway, and I'm getting sick of seeing it._

"_Soon, I'll have a powerful new ally who will be a valuable asset."_

"That snake!" shouted Numbuh Two. "He engineered the whole thing just to trick Cree into working for him!"

Numbuh Five sighed.

"If only my sister would stop fighting us long enough to listen to us for five minutes, we could tell her who double-crossed her…" she sighed.

"And then what?" asked Numbuh One, pacing. "That likely wouldn't change her opinion of _us _any more…"

"Good point…" sighed Blossom.

Numbuh Five continued to read.

"More stuff on Cree…" she said. "This we already know…"

She skimmed.

"Here's the last entry," she said. "It's dated just last week, and it's a long one…"

She read as follows:

"_I have finally discovered the foolproof way to control the Wvuxic once it is summoned. It requires three artifacts linked together by an ancient bond, and a secondary ritual that must be performed simultaneously with the main one._

"_First, the Ancient Key must be used in conjunction at the start of the primary ritual._

"_Second, a sacrifice must be made. The victim must be a younger sibling of the one who performs it, and it must be done by the Ancient Blade. _

"_Third, the one who does the sacrifice must read aloud the final page from the Ancient Tome._

"_Unfortunately, all my siblings are older, but my closest ally has a younger sister, and she'd likely be glad to use her for the purpose._

"_Once this is done, the Wvuxic will follow commands like a tamed dog._

"_I don't have the three artifacts yet, but they will soon be mine. The Ancient Key is located somewhere in Italy, the Ancient Blade in Japan, and the Ancient Tome I'm not sure of yet. More research will need to be done._

"_Soon, the Kids Next Door will quake in their boots…"_

Numbuh Five closed the book.

"That's scary…" muttered Numbuh Two. "You do know what the ultimate plan for his… ritual is, don't you?"

Everyone looked at Numbuh Five.

Numbuh One sighed.

"Yes," answered Numbuh One. "He clearly intends for Numbuh Five to be the victim, and for Cree to do it…"

"I dunno…" muttered Numbuh Five. "Even for my sister, that sounds a little too evil…"

"Are you talking about the same Cree who wanted to hurl the Moonbase into the sun?" asked Numbuh Four, sarcastically.

"Listen!" exclaimed Blossom. "For him to do this, he needs the Ancient Key, the Ancient Blade, AND the Ancient Tome! If we can find even _one _of them before he does and destroy it, he won't dare do the ritual! We'll have ruined his plans – he'll be finished!"

"Right!" exclaimed Numbuh One. "Now let's report what we know to the boss…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Numbah 362 listened intently as they relayed all the information.

"This is heavy…" she said. "But you're right… We have to find those artifacts before he does!"

"The question is, how?" asked Bubbles. "Italy and Japan aren't very big, but they're still sort of big…"

"We've been working on that," said Numbuh 362. "We have a way to detect magical auras, similar to that device that I used to identify the sword. By tomorrow, we should pinpoint the location in Italy. Then we'll work on Japan."

"YAY!" shouted Numbuh Three. "I love going there."

"One more thing chief," asked Numbuh Five. "Did the Kids Next Door ever fight anyone named Josephine?"

"Josephine?" gasped Numbuh 362. "As in Josephine the Gorgon?"

She shuddered in fear.

"She was a monster…" muttered Numbuh 362. "Everyone in France said she was one of the most beautiful women in the country, but her beauty hid terrible evil…

"She thought that the only redeeming feature that kids had were how cute they were – other than their looks, they were worthless. So she made a terrible invention that she called a… 'medusa ray'…

"It was a helmet with an eyepiece which could emit a beam that could turn humans to stone - fine, whitemarble. And she started using it on every kid in sight! No less than twenty operatives fell victim to it trying to fight her…

"Fortunately, we found a way to reverse the process, and we also found a way to protect operatives from its effects. In the next confrontation with Josephine, she found that her device was ineffective.

"And she started getting sloppy. She increased the power of the medusa ray. Finding that it still wouldn't work on the operatives, she increased the power again… And again…

"Eventually, she got so frustrated that she did the dumbest thing ever – she shut the safety off and set it to max power. And the next time she tried to use it, it backfired!

"She had gotten a taste of her own medicine. We weren't heartless enough to _want _to leave her a piece of marble. We tried to do the same thing to her that we did to restore her victims. But it didn't work. She had simply set the power too high…

"Poor devil…

"Not knowing what else to do with her, we took the statue to the Arctic Research base, hoping to find a way to restore her someday – but somebody stole the statue from the place… We have no idea who…"

"Charon…" whispered Numbuh One.

"Pardon?" asked Numbuh 362.

"Josephine was Charon's girlfriend," sighed Numbuh One. "He obviously blames the Kids Next Door for what happened to her – and that's why he has such a mad-on for Global Command."

Numbuh 362 sighed. "One mystery solved," she answered.

"Anyway," she said, "I'll talk to you tomorrow, four PM your time."

As the transmission ended, Numbuh One started typing something into the computer.

"What are you doing?" asked Buttercup.

"Trying to find out something," answered Numbuh One. "The journal mentioned something about the 'Minerva Sisters'. Call this a hunch, but maybe if we look them up, we can find something out…"

He typed the name into the mainframe.

"**SEARCHING" **said the computer.

There was a pause.

"**MATCH FOUND"**

Images came up on the screens. They were three adorable little girls who looked pretty much identical, with curly blonde hair and dimples. Their only differences were the colors of their dresses. One was dressed in pink, one in orange, and another in violet. They had big smiles on their faces.

"They look all sparkles and sweetness," commented Numbuh Five.

They looked at the entry:

**MINERVA**

**Names: **Candy, Randy, and Bambi Minerva

**Age:** 10 (if still alive)

**Nationality:** American

**Known Relatives:** Mother, Father

**Ethnicity:** Uncertain

**KND Status:** Formerly under Class B observation which was ended by default due to their disappearance. Were offered membership in the KND, but they turned it down for personal reasons.

**KNDanger Level:** 0

**Mental Status:** Sane

**Skills:** The sisters had superhuman abilities believed to be derived from magic. Whether their powers were due to study or inborn abilities or a combination of the two is unknown. They possessed the ability to cast both offensive and defensive spells.

**Other Notes: **The Minerva Sisters were known to show up whenever supernatural threats occurred – globally – to handle threatening matters. Unfortunately, they disappeared on one mission and have not been seen since. Although efforts to find them have not been formally abandoned, they have been presumed dead for the time being.

The nine operatives in the room stared at the screen, and at the three smiling faces.

"They aren't dead…" muttered Blossom. "They tried to oppose Charon, and apparently they were successful at first. But Charon got stronger, and then banished them to some… 'Dark Void'."

"This is serious…" muttered Numbuh Five. "We've got to find a way to save them…"

"How come?" asked Numbuh Four.

He secretly didn't like the looks of them – they looked even more "sunshine, lollipops, and rainbows" than Numbuh Three was at a Rainbow Monkeys trade bazaar.

Numbuh Five gave him a mean look.

"First of all," she growled, "in case you forgot, it's the Kids Next Door's job to save kids!"

She paused.

"Second," she snapped, "they might have information we could use about Charon!"

"Well just how are we supposed to get them out of this 'Dark Void'?" asked Numbuh Four. "I don't think it's within walking distance!"

"Numbuh Four is right," said Numbuh One, butting in.

Everyone stared. Of all the things Numbuh One had done, agreeing with Numbuh Four was one of the rarest.

"This Dark Void is obviously some alternate dimension," he explained, "and traveling through dimensional boundaries is beyond the scope of our technology."

He looked at the screen.

"I feel sorry for them," he continued, "I truly do… they must be suffering, and so must their parents. But as of right now, they are out of our reach.

"For now, we must concentrate on finding those artifacts before Charon does. At least we can prevent any other kids from suffering the same fate…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

A dark chamber, lit by only one overhead light. This room had no entrances – the only way to reach is was by magic.

The light illuminated a pedestal, on which was a marble statue of a woman. She was dressed in what appeared to be a leather, form-fitting bodysuit that showed off splendid curves. The look on her face was one of sheer terror, as if the artist had captured the image of a woman who knew her life was about to be painfully cut short…

Only one man was allowed in this room, and he visited it as often as possible.

Charon appeared out of the shadows. He gazed upon the statue.

For all his power, one of the things that frustrated him the most was his inability to restore Josephine. The blueprints she had made for the medusa ray were no help – she had never intended to reverse the process. Using the solution that the Kids Next Door had invented to do so was no help either – they couldn't use it on her, and neither could he. He personally believed that they hadn't bothered to try hard enough, but his research on their solution had given him nothing.

Despite his best efforts, the woman he loved was condemned to a prison of stone, and for all he knew, she would remain there forever…

"Josephine," he whispered. "I've come to assure you, the first part of our revenge will soon be in place. We are searching diligently for the Ancient Key, and it will soon be ours. I promise you… Soon the Kids Next Door will be on their knees before me…

"And maybe I'll find a way to turn them all to stone, just to show them what it feels like."

He walked up, and kissed the statue on the lips.

He sadly walked away and vanished.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Ten minutes later, Charon was in a much fouler mood.

"Still inconclusive?" he yelled at his henchmen, as Cree looked on.

"Sir, please!" begged one of them, "we've scanned Rome, Milan, Naples, Genoa, Florence… Basically everywhere! It's hidden good, and we don't even know what it looks like!"

He grabbed the man's collar.

"Then scan again!" he shouted.

He turned away.

"If he's so powerful, why can't he just find it himself…" muttered the henchman.

Charon stopped short…

His eyes glowed red…

He pointed towards the man, and the henchman screamed! He was engulfed in pure darkness!

And then he vanished.

Everyone in the room gasped, except Cree, who grinned.

"All right, who's next?" he yelled.

"Calm down, boss," chuckled Cree, patting him on the shoulder. "Banishing people like that isn't going to make you feel better…"

Charon took some deep breaths.

"Know what makes me feel better when I'm mad?" she suggested. "Mocha fudge ice cream."

"Ice cream might be good," he sighed, "but I prefer butterscotch…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

There were others who liked ice cream when they were tense.

School was just getting out after a hard day. It was three fifteen, and Numbuh Five just had time to get an ice cream come from the local parlor.

Unfortunately for her, five other ice cream lovers were there as she got hers.

She glared over at them. The Delightful Children's taste in ice cream was abominable as far as a true ice cream connoisseur was concerned. Their double-dip banana on pistachio cones had both sprinkles _and _walnuts on them.

"So Abigail," they chuckled. "Still going with boring old chocolate, we see."

Numbuh Five glared at them, and then started walking away.

"What?" they asked. "No sarcastic remark? No insult? We were starting to get used to that."

"Normally, I would," muttered Numbuh Five, "but Numbuh Five's got so much on her mind lately, she's just gonna ignore you."

This was something new. As much as the Delightful Children hated being teased, they hated being ignored even more.

They started to follow her.

"What's the matter, Abigail?" they asked. "Is something troubling you that you can't share with old friends?"

"We ain't friends!" she shouted back. "And if I told you, you'd likely be scared out of your minds!"

They laughed.

"That's very unlikely!" they said.

Numbuh Five sighed.

"Okay," she muttered, "here goes…"

She took a deep breath.

"Numbuh Five's older sister who used to work for you is working for someone else who can summon demons, and he wants to summon something that's probably a very _powerful _demon, and to do that, the guy wants Cree to sacrifice her younger sister, meaning me!"

She took a deep breath.

"How's _that _for scary, Delightful Dopes?" she asked.

She walked away, licking her cone.

The Delightful Children stared into space for a minute…

Their ice cream fell on the ground…

Ignoring this, they reached into their pockets and took out their cell phones. They quickly dialed a number.

"Tulsey?" they said into it. "Find Cree!"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Numbuh Five always liked getting the better of the Delightful Children. All of the Kids Next Door hated them, but she always felt a little proud of her ability to leave those dorks speechless with nothing but her words.

She chuckled as she thought of the shocked looks on their faces as she rode up the elevator.

The rest of her team, as well as Sector P, were already there. They were passing the time playing card games while they were waiting for the call.

Numbuh Four was at a table facing Numbuh Three. He put a card down.

"Now I'll play Snatch Steal to take control of your Shinato and…" he started.

"Uh, uh, uh!" scolded Numbuh Three, flipping over a card.

"You had a Spell Shield Type-8 facedown?" gasped Numbuh Four in surprise.

"Sure looks that way, dumb-dumb head!" laughed Numbuh Three.

"Fine," sighed Numbuh Four. "Monster in Defense Mode…"

Numbuh Four drew a card and giggled.

She put Mudora down on the table, and wiped out Numbuh Four's Axe Raider, then went in for the kill with Shinato.

"Just like old times, eh Numbuh Four?" she giggled.

"Best of seven?" he asked.

"**INCOMING MESSAGE," **announced the computer. **"INCOMMING MESSAGE."**

The two young operatives gathered their cards and placed they into deck boxes. They quickly ran to the mainframe room, along with the others.

Static appeared on the screen. Numbuh 362's face appeared.

They all saluted.

"Sectors V and P, reporting!" answered Numbuh One.

"At ease," said their leader. "First off, we found out just what the Ancient Key is. It's an artifact made by Egyptians which has the power to open a portal to any dimension."

"Any dimension?" asked Numbuh Five.

"Yes," answered Numbuh 362. "Just speak the command word and the name of the destination, and a two-way portal opens."

"Once we knew what we were looking for, we were able to locate it – and we think we know why Charon _hasn't _yet…"

She paused.

"It's somewhere in the Christian Catacombs under Rome. The sacred burial grounds."

"Why does that explain why Charon hasn't found it?" asked Numbuh Four.

"Duh," said Numbuh Five. "The Catacombs are hallowed ground! They're a holy place! Charon's evil magic likely can't see into it!"

"Exactly, Numbuh Five," said Numbuh 362. "And likely, he'll be helpless to stop you from going in there and taking it.

"I'm sending an unmanned craft with a probe that you'll need to find it, along with instructions on how to use it. It will be there in fifteen minutes. Once you get it, you are to head for Rome ASAP!"

"We won't fail, chief!" responded Numbuh One.

As the two teams rushed to ready the M.O.S.Q.U.I.T.T.O.H., they were unaware that a tiny raven was up in rafters, observing and listening.

Quickly, it flew from its perch and out the window.

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_**Coming up next: **_

_**Beneath the streets of Rome, the KND deal with Cree once again – and the former leader of Sector V has learned from her earlier defeat. Don't miss "Down Underground," coming soon.**_

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_Kid Trivia: " Operation J.E.W.E.L.S." (the first appearance of Numbuh Five's rival Heinrich Von Marzipan) was actually a sequel to a comic book story from an issue of _Cartoon Network Presents. _In the short "Operation G.R.A.N.D.D.A.D.", Numbuh Five finds the Blurpleberry Supreme, which was originally stolen from her grandfather; subsequently, it is stolen by Stickybeard, and she steals it back. (In the comic she claims she is saving it for a "special occasion", which is not revealed until J.E.W.E.L.S.) _


	11. Down Underground

_Before I begin, my apologies to anyone reading this who happens to live in Wisconsin._

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**CHAPTER ELEVEN**

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**Down Underground**

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In Charon's research lab, things were not going well for the sorcerer. His henchmen were still in the process of searching Italy, as they had been for a little over a week, and still they were having no luck finding the Ancient Key.

Charon went over to a woman in one of the trademark cloaks.

"Did you scan Pisa?" he asked.

"Yes, sir," she replied.

"How about Sicily?" he asked.

"Twice," she answered, nervously.

She gulped as he stared at her. He had banished three of his researchers to the Dark Void so far out of frustration on this project alone, and they had no idea who was going to be next…

He gripped his forehead and sighed.

"All right everyone, take five!" he shouted.

Everyone hurriedly got up.

"But _only _five!" he warned.

He sighed as Cree came up to him.

"Need more butterscotch ice cream?" she suggested.

"All the frozen confections in the world aren't going to help right now," muttered Charon. "It's like the Ancient Key is somewhere there, mocking me, laughing at me… Why can't I find it?"

"Don't worry, you'll find it…" answered Cree. "Your magic is stronger than anything I've ever seen…"

At that moment, a small raven flew into the room, and perched on Charon's shoulder.

"Ah, Lenore!" he said, perking up a bit.

"Who's that?" asked Cree.

"A small helper familiar that I summoned to help spy on the Kids Next Door," answered Charon. "She does her job well…"

Lenore whispered into Charon's ear.

"What?" he gasped in surprise. "They discovered where it is? Where?"

He listened…

And then he howled in rage! The bird flew off his shoulders to safety.

"The Christian Catacombs of Rome?" he shouted. "Blast! No wonder I couldn't find it!

"And now those brats are on their way to get it before I can! I hate those Kids Next Door! I **hate **them!"

"So what are we waiting for?" asked Cree, evilly. "Let's go beat them black and blue and get that Key!"

"It's not so easy, Cree," muttered Charon. "The Catacombs are a sacred place, awash with holy power! If I or any of my normal servants entered, we'd be wracked with unbearable pain from the hallowed ground on which it became!"

He thought for a minute.

"Cree," he said, putting his arm on her shoulder. "I'm going to have to send you there alone. You must at least attempt to defeat them and recover the Ancient Key yourself…"

"No problem boss!" said Cree with a smile. "I can't wait to test out my new armor for real!"

"It doesn't work that way…" muttered Charon. "Your enchanted Battle Ready Armor was made by my magic! It will be powerless in the Catacomb's chambers!"

"Oh…" muttered Cree.

She thought for a minute.

"My old armor was destroyed…" she pondered. "Going back to get a new one is out of the question…"

She thought.

"Well, zap me to my parents' house first!" she said with a grin. "I've got some stuff stored in my closet for a rainy day that even my sister doesn't know about!"

"Very well," said Charon, "and here's a little bit of help…"

He handed her a gemstone.

"If you fail and are in danger on being captured again, crush that gemstone," he instructed. "It's something I stole from the Minerva Sisters. While I hate having to use… ergh… good magic to solve a problem, it will transport you a safe distance away.

"Now, your parent's house, you said?"

He waved his arm, and Cree vanished.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Mano-a-manicotti!" exclaimed Numbuh Two, who was piloting the M.O.S.Q.U.I.T.T.O.H. "I've always loved Italy! The pasta… the culture… the pasta… the art… the pasta… the music… the pasta…"

"We'd best complete this mission fast," said Buttercup to Bubbles, "before Numbuh Two starts gaining weight!"

Bubbles giggled.

"How long before we get to Rome, Numbuh Two?" asked Numbuh One.

"About forty-five minutes, give or take," he answered.

"Let's just hope we can do this without any surprises from our friend Charon," muttered Snowball. She remembered those winterwights very well, and was keeping an eye out on the perimeter for any more attackers.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Despite her fears, the craft landed outside of Rome with no interruptions. With their gear slung on their backs, the two Sectors trekked to one of the oldest and most popular cemeteries in Europe – the Christian Catacombs.

In the days of the Roman Empire, Christianity was illegal, due to the fact that Christians refused to worship the Emperor – doing so violated the First Commandment. Thus, Christian funerals had to kept away from prying eyes. The Christian community used an old system of unused sewers under the city to inter their dead where normally only the very poor were buried – hopefully, the eternal rest of the deceased would be undisturbed here.

And fortunately, it remained so, for two millennia. Even as tourists came to see the tombs of the first Christians, the caverns, though dark and foreboding, remained a place of serene protection.

Fortunately, it was a slow day for tourists. The operatives went in five minutes behind the latest tour group.

The nine operatives wandered into the main entrance hall. Numbuh Four shivered.

"This place gives me the willies!" he squeaked.

"Calm down!" assured Numbuh Five. "Like I said, this is a sacred burial ground! There may be old bodies here, but they ain't gonna turn into zombies and attack us!"

"Numbuh Five is right," answered Numbuh One, taking a device from his pack, "and this thing that Numbuh 362 gave us should lead us to the Ancient Key. We get it, we get out, and we're having linguini with clams for dinner!"

He turned on the device.

"This way!" he said, turning to a chamber. "Sector P, how about a little illumination?"

The Powerpuff Girls blinked, and their eyes lit up, lighting the way.

They entered a side passageway…

They didn't notice that Cree had followed them in. She was wearing a black, skintight, leather suit, with a variety of weapons attacked. She assessed the situation.

_The Powerpuff Girls are likely the biggest problems, _she thought. _So I'll have to try to incapacitate them for a few minutes, then take out the others. _

_Hmm, maybe I should simply follow them until they find the Ancient Key for me. That would make my job a whole lot easier. _

She fingered a long rifle on her back.

_And once I have them in my sights, they're going to be out of our way for a good three weeks!_

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Numbuh Four shuddered as they walked through the dark caverns.

"Nothin's gonna happen," he assured himself. "Just like Numbuh Five said, this place is totally safe…"

He paused for a minute.

"You weren't scared a' those nerd zombies were you?" he asked himself. "No, course you weren't, so even if some other zombies show up, which they won't, you aren't gonna be…"

He turned his head.

"…scared?"

He saw a collection of skulls on a niche.

"AAARRGGHH!" he shouted.

Buttercup grabbed him.

"Numbuh Four, what are you trying to do, wake the dead?" she scolded.

There was a long pause.

"Okay, not the best choice of words," she muttered, "but still…"

"Come on, people, we're getting closer!" announced Numbuh One.

They plodded on, through chambers, and passageways, and tunnels. Eventually, the darkness was lit only by the illumination coming from the three Girls.

"Odd," said Numbuh Two. He felt the dust on one of the niches. "This part of the Catacombs must not have been visited for years."

"Now _I'm _scared!" gulped Numbuh Three with a shiver.

Eventually, they came to a large stone door. An ornate cross was carved into it, and writing was on it – in Latin.

"Uh, anyone here know how to read Latin?" asked Snowball.

"No," said Numbuh One, opening his L.U.N.C.H.B.O.C.K.S., "but we can translate a message this size in no time…"

The computer did a quick scan. He read.

"**_Only two who are pure in body, heart, and mind, can open the lock that leads to this tomb, where the Patriarch sleeps, and the Ancient Key waits for its next owner."_**

"Pure in body, heart, and mind?" muttered Numbuh Five. "Well, 'pure in body' must mean chaste, 'pure in heart' must be without sins, and 'pure in mind' must be without wicked thoughts. I don't think I qualify for the second one for… you know…"

She bowed her head…

"I understand, Numbuh Five," said Numbuh One, somberly, "I understand. But two of us must fit all three conditions…"

They all immediately looked at Bubbles and Numbuh Three.

They smiled and went up to the door. They touched it.

The cross glowed, and the door swung open.

A large chamber opened up before them, and torches all lit on the walls. They were inside of what looked like a cross between an altar and a crypt. A stone coffin was in the middle of the floor. On a large pedestal on the far end of the room…

It glowed in its own light. It was made of bronze, and looked like a long arrowhead. Strange runes were inscribed on the metal part, and a leather-wrapped handle made up half its length.

"The Ancient Key!" exclaimed Numbuh One. "Everyone, leave the coffin alone… Let's get the Key!"

Numbuhs One through Five and Snowball went up to the pedestal to examine it. The three Powerpuffs stayed near the door in case some hidden guardian were to reveal itself…

A few seconds before their enemy came, they heard her coming from behind. They turned around…

Before they could shout a warning, three objects were thrown at them. Before Blossom, Bubbles, and Buttercup knew it, they were encased in sticky cocoons and fell to the ground.

As they struggled against the binds, the villain crept in.

_The putty should hold them for at least fifteen minutes, _thought Cree, _and that should be all the time I need to take care of the rest and get the Key…_

"It's beautiful!" exclaimed Numbuh Three, as Numbuh One lifted it off the pedestal.

"And it's the real deal!" gasped Numbuh Five. "Numbuh Five's been around the world, and she's _never _seen something with this much power!"

"And we have it!" said Numbuh One, triumphantly.

"You mean you _had _it, you brats…" said Cree's voice.

They all turned, and saw the one who occupied the top spot on their most hated teenager's list. She was holding a long, cannon-like rifle.

"Trying to start a fight in a tomb, Cree?" asked Numbuh One with a sneer. "A sacred burial ground? You've hit a new low…"

Numbuh Five frowned.

"Hey, sis," she said, sarcastically. "No armor this time? I thought you were attached at the hip."

"I don't need armor to handle you brats…" she answered.

"Where are the Girls?" demanded Numbuh One.

Cree pointed to the cocoons.

"Father called it super putty," answered Cree. "Strong enough to hold a bodybuilder for three hours, or a superhuman kindergartner for a few minutes…"

She pointed the gun.

"That's a chicken pox rifle!" gasped Numbuh Four, in fear.

"Cree, listen!" shouted Numbuh Five. "There's something you need to know…"

"Save it, Crabigail!" snapped Cree. "You aren't talking your way out of this one. Now just hand over the Ancient Key, and I might not have to pox you all!"

"I thought your supply of chicken pox was destroyed!" accused Numbuh Two.

"It was!" answered Cree. "But I kept a few leftovers in case I felt like torturing some brats.

"Now what's it gonna be, Kids Next Dumped?" she said, cocking the rifle.

A sneer crossed Numbuh Five's face.

"Get back guys," she said to her team. "I'll handle this…"

She started to walk up to Cree…

"Numbuh Five!" squealed Numbuh Three. "You are out of your mind!"

"Don't be an idiot, sis!" shouted Cree. "I swear, I'll do it!"

"Take your best shot!" threatened Numbuh Five.

"Fine!" laughed Cree. "I guess you didn't learn the last time. Well, you brought this on yourself…"

She fired!

Numbuh Five staggered back, as a burst of feathers hit her…

She brushed chicken residue off herself, and snarled. She continued to advance.

"Huh?" gasped Cree. "It didn't work?"

She quickly reloaded the gun and fired again!

Numbuh Five paused again…

Even angrier, she kept walking towards Cree.

"This is impossible!" shouted Cree.

Numbuh Five was just five feet away from her. She loaded again and fired nearly at point blank range!

When the smoke cleared, she saw that her sister was holding a weapon of her own…

**(Kids Next Door S.P.L.A.N.K.E.R.: Solid Pine Loaded Artillery Nicely Kicks Enemy Rear)**

Numbuh Five fired the S.P.L.A.N.K.E.R., hitting Cree full in the face! Cree tumbled back, and her own weapon broke in half on the ground.

Numbuh Five grabbed her.

"For someone who used to be one of the best operatives of all, you sure ain't too smart, Cree!" shouted Numbuh Five. "You used that thing on Numbuh Five before! Don't you know that you can't catch chicken pox if you've already had it?"

Numbuh Four looked at Numbuh One.

"Did you know that?" he asked.

"Yeah," answered Numbuh One, "and I was counting on Cree not to know it."

"Look Cree!" shouted Numbuh Five. "You have to listen to us! You were set up! You were played for a fool, girl! The guy who sold you that fake X-Foliate was…"

Cree gave her a kick, and Numbuh Five fell on her behind!

"I'm not listening to your lies, Abby!" she shouted. "Whoever the con man was who sold it to me, I don't care! I don't need the money he stole from me anymore! With Charon's power, I have all that I want!"

She pulled a device off her belt, and it unfolded into a long, metal quarterstaff.

The six operatives pulled out their weapons.

"We'll take her all at once!" shouted Numbuh One. "No way she can take six of us!"

Snowball fired two mustard guns! Numbuh Five aimed a flying kick! Numbuh Four shot his jalapeño gun! Numbuh Three blasted her teddy bear rifle! Numbuh Two fired ten rounds from his sardine machine gun! And Numbuh One sprayed a blast of salsa from his hot sauce pump!

Cree laughed, and hit a button on her belt. A dome of wind surrounded her, sending the projectiles – and her sister – flying in all directions!

"You'd best hand over the Key before I get mad!" threatened Cree.

"Nothing doing, traitor!" answered Numbuh One.

He shoved the Ancient Key into his satchel, and zipped it shut.

He secretly had a plan. If they could only stall until Blossom, Bubbles, and Buttercup got free, they'd be _home _free. Cree wouldn't stand a chance. He looked over at the Girls, and saw that their struggles were stretching the putty more than they were before…

So maybe it was time for a game of hot potato…

"Everyone spread out!" commanded Numbuh One.

The six operatives all ran into positions surrounding their enemy.

"Tell you what, teenager," dared Numbuh One. "You can have this, if you can reach it!"

He held the satchel up high.

"That shouldn't be too difficult, shorty!" laughed Cree.

Cree lunged at him…

"Numbuh Four, catch!" shouted Numbuh One.

He hurled the satchel over Cree's head, and Numbuh Four caught it.

"What is this?" cursed Cree. "Some sort of game?"

She lunged at Four.

"Yeah!" laughed Numbuh Four. "It's called 'keep-away from Cree'!"

He tossed the satchel again, and Numbuh Three caught it.

"Want this?" said Numbuh Three, sweetly. "Say please…"

Cree snarled, and ran towards her. She threw it to Numbuh Two.

"Man, I don't know how we ever had fun without her!" laughed Numbuh Two.

As she ran towards Numbuh Two he threw it to Snowball.

Cree was now _very _angry. She walked to the center of the room, and then drew a pair of strange-looking sunglasses out of a pouch.

"Okay…" she cursed. "I was _really _hoping I wouldn't have to use this…"

She put the sunglasses on, and then tossed a small globe into the air…

And then a blinding flash erupted in the room! The six operatives gasped and clutched their eyes!

"A little thing called a nova burst," explained Cree. "Guaranteed to blind anyone who isn't wearing the right protective eye covering for three minutes. Too bad that normal sunglasses don't qualify, Nigel!

"And now to get my prize…"

She walked towards Snowball.

"I want to thank you all so much for leading me to this, you brats," she said, taking the Ancient Key out of the satchel. "It was only a matter of time before you handed it over to me and it wound up in Charon's possession. And do you know why? Because sooner or later, everyone gets just what they deserve!"

"You're so right," said Bubbles's voice.

"And now, you're going to get _just _what you deserve!" said Buttercup's voice.

Cree turned and saw the Powerpuff Girls.

They had broken free of their bonds.

Blossom charged forward, and grabbed the Ancient Key out of the villain's hand!

"You know what one of the major flaws that all villains have is, Cree?" said Blossom, angrily. "You always spend so much time gloating, that you give the heroes enough time to do you in! And you aren't getting away so easily this time!"

Bubbles and Buttercup flew forward! Bubbles punched her in the face, and Buttercup kicked her in the gut! Cree screamed and toppled over!

Memories of the beating she had taken in the Sector P Treehouse came back to her. She already felt she had a black eye coming, and if she tried to get up, the three pixies would only hit her more… Even worse, she could see that their allies were starting to rub their eyes…

"It's over, Cree!" shouted Blossom. "It ends here. Charon won't be saving you this time! Global Command is finally going to have you decommissioned!"

Cree slowly removed the gemstone that Charon had given her from a pocket…

She had lost, but there was always the old saying:

"He who fails and gets away, lives to win another day."

She crushed the gem in her hand, and a bright light emitted from it.

"Another time, Kids Next Door!" she cursed.

She vanished.

Numbuh One came up, rubbing his eyes.

"Well, that was odd…" he said.

They took a minute to take it in. Through some feat of magic, Cree had fled.

But she had left the important thing behind…

"We've got it!" exclaimed Blossom, holding the Ancient Key up high. "It's ours!"

"Right!" laughed Numbuh Five. "Let's celebrate! Who's for Italian food?"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

After getting out of the Catacombs, finding a restaurant was relatively easy – after all, Rome was a place where you could find a good restaurant on every city block.

After plates of linguini with clam sauce, the operatives were sharing a large plate of canolis.

"These are great!" exclaimed Numbuh Four. "Why don't we have them more often?"

"Well, they don't exactly grow on trees…" muttered Buttercup.

"I hear they're popular in New York City," answered Bubbles, "in Little Italy."

Numbuh Two lifted up the Ancient Key.

"So now that we have this, what do we do with it?" he asked.

"I say we smash it!" exclaimed Numbuh Four. "That way Charon can _never _use it."

"Let's not go jumping the gun, Numbuh Four," cautioned Numbuh One. "While destroying it may be a good idea, this artifact has powerful magical energy inside it! For all we know, 'smashing it' might have cataclysmic repercussions!"

"Say what?" asked Numbuh Four.

Blossom sighed.

"In simpler words," she answered, "if we just smash it, whose to say it won't blow up Wisconsin?"

"Exactly, Numbuh 51," agreed Numbuh One.

"So what if it blows up Wisconsin?" muttered Numbuh Four. "It's cold there, and all they have is cheese!"

"Genius!" shouted Numbuh Five, slapping him. "It could be any place, not just Wisconsin! Maybe California or Florida!"

"Oh…" muttered Numbuh Four. "That's different… I kind of like Florida… I do like orange juice…"

"Besides," continued Numbuh Five, "Numbuh Five's got an idea. We've got powerful magic, so why don't we use it! We could use this thing to open portals to other dimensions!

"So we could go into the Dark Void and find the Minerva Sisters!"

Numbuh Four seemed a little irked at this, but Numbuh Five continued.

"We know that they fought Charon before," she suggested, "and they might have even beaten him before. They might know of some weaknesses that we can exploit!"

Numbuh One rubbed his chin.

"Well," he mused. "Such a mission might well be dangerous…" he answered. "We'll have a word with Numbuh 362 tomorrow. If she gives the okay, it's fine with me…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

The flight home was uneventful.

And as the operatives slept in their Treehouses, Charon brooded as a frightened Cree told him what happened.

The sorcerer sighed.

"Don't feel bad, Cree," he said. "You were fighting at a disadvantage in those Catacombs. Personally, I expected this…

"But fear not… What can be found can always be stolen…"

"Uh…" muttered Cree. "Does that mean you aren't going to punish me?"

"I didn't say _that,_" sneered Charon.

He waved his arm, and Cree was frozen in a block of ice!

Charon went across the room, and carefully set the thermostat to room temperature.

_Once the ice melts, I'll give her another chance, _he thought. _I don't truly blame her for what happened, but after a night on deep freeze, she's sure to try harder the next time I need her…_

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

For Sectors V and P, school wasn't very good the next day. International missions took a lot out of them. The Powerpuffs snuck a nap during recess, and the members of Sector V managed to doze during study hall. Numbuh Four's gym teacher was _very _surprised when he asked to sit the kickball game out – he was never one to _request _skipping a gym session.

At four o'clock, the two Sectors reported to the top of command, still yawning a little. Numbuh 362 was very glad that they had obtained the Ancient Key… But she was a little concerned about Numbuh Five's proposed plan…

"This is a real conundrum…" she pondered. "On one hand, we could gain three allies that could help us immensely against a dangerous enemy… On the other hand, the Dark Void may be an incredibly dangerous place that we know absolutely nothing about…"

She paused.

"You could all get lost in the Void yourself…" she said. "…lost forever… But ultimately, it's up to you…"

Numbuh One spoke up.

"Anyone who doesn't need to go is free to stay behind," he said.

He looked at Numbuh Four.

"What?" snapped Numbuh Four. "I'm not gonna wimp out!"

"Then it's settled," sighed Numbuh 362. "You'll leave tomorrow afternoon, as soon as you get something…"

She punched in some numbers on the computer.

"In order to find those three, I have a device that might help, but in order for it to work, you'll need an item that's _very _personal to at least one of them. I'm sending over the address of their parents' house – hopefully, you can find something there…"

"The three of us can take care of that," said Blossom.

"Good," replied Numbuh 362.

An address flashed on the screen…

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

At Delightful Manor, the Delightful Children From Down The Lane were in a frustrated state speaking on their phones.

"What did you find?" they asked. "Nothing? Whose fault was that? Well, fire him!"

"Darn it," they said, hanging up. "How dare Cree start working for someone else? What did Father do to deserve this? He always treated her with respect…"

Truthfully, they were mostly afraid that he was going to blame them when he found out.

Then their phone rang.

"WHAT?" they shouted, answering it.

"Hello," said a sinister voice. "I heard you were looking for Cree Lincoln…"

"You know where to find her?" they asked.

"Indeed," said the voice, "and she's anxious to see you again… All you need to do is go to New York City…"

"_NEW YORK CITY_?" they exclaimed. "Uh… Any particular part?"

"Check your mailbox, and you'll find tickets for front-row seats to the Yankees game tomorrow," said the voice. "Stick around until after the game. She'll be there to meet you…"

The voice hung up.

The Children went out to the mailbox. Sure enough, there was an envelope for tickets to tomorrows Yankees game, for seats situated right behind first base. Getting these tickets would take somebody even richer than them, and a thousand times luckier…

If the Delightful Children had been smart, they would have ignored the phone call…

If the Delightful Children had been smart, New York City would be the last place they would have been the next day…

However, as the Kids Next Door could attest, the Delightful Children From Down The Lane were _not _very smart…

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_**Coming up next:**_

_**The Kids Next Door journey into the dark depths of the Void to find three lost heroines. But the Dark Void holds many dangers, and if they aren't careful, this endless ocean may turn into a watery grave! Don't miss "Into The Abyss" coming soon!**_

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_Kid Trivia: Sector V's famous flying school bus has never been given an acronym for a name, but it has been named. In the series pilot, "No P in the OOL", the craft is shown with the words "School Bus" written on it with the S and H crossed out. Thus, the aircraft is a "Cool Bus"._


	12. Into the Abyss

_To all readers:_

_Sorry I've been so late getting this up. I've been very busy lately, and haven't had much time to write…_

_Also, I'm sorry if I got one of the acronyms wrong. It was hard to hear the computerized voice in the episode in question._

_But here's the latest chapter:_

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**CHAPTER TWELVE**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**Into The Abyss**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

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In a field not far from the Sector V Treehouse, the members of that Sector along with Snowball were preparing to conduct the dry run.

Numbuh 362's research had decoded the ancient text on the Key, so opening a portal to the Dark Void would be easy. Since forewarned was forearmed, they had decided to take a first look before their actual foray.

Numbuh One stood in the center of the field. Behind him, the other five operatives stood dressed in flackjackets armed with powerful weapons. They had no idea what would come out of this portal once it was opened.

Numbuh One held the Ancient Key up to the sky. He chanted:

"Retsam eurt eht saw artanis. Rehtona eb reven lliw ereht. Cisum sih ni on sevil dnegel eht!"

Thunder flashed from the sky, and a portal started to open in front of him. The operatives behind him started to ready their weapons…

A strange, black wall, that seemed to ripple in the light was in front of Numbuh One.

"Uh, well," muttered Numbuh Two. "The Dark Void is certainly _dark._"

"Hmmm," said Numbuh One, going up to the portal.

He cautiously inched his hand into it…

The surface rippled. He pulled his arm out, and it was soaking wet.

"Interesting," he said. "It appears the environment of this place is entirely liquid. Numbuh Two, hand me a test tube…"

"Coming up chief…" said Numbuh Two, reaching into his satchel.

Numbuh One took a sample of the liquid. After placing a fastener on it, he made another quick chant, and the portal closed.

"This makes things both easier and harder at the same time," he said, looking at the clear liquid. "We'll analyze it – and in the meantime, Numbuh Three, find out how the Girls are doing."

"Gotcha," said Numbuh Three, taking out her communicator.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

As Charon walked down the hall of his lair, he paused.

_Strange, _he thought, _I thought I just felt a breach in the dimensional boundaries… One leading to a place I don't want anyone going to…_

He paused to try to get a fix on it…

But it was gone.

_Meh, _he thought with a shrug.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Blossom, Bubbles, and Buttercup had just landed on the roof of a modest house in Providence, Rhode Island, when Numbuh Three buzzed them.

"How ya doin', guys?" asked Numbuh Three.

"Great," answered Blossom. "This is their house, and their parents have just left. We should be able to get into their room and find something that fits our needs. We'll see you in about an hour and a half."

"What's wrong, Bubbles?" Buttercup asked her sister as they opened a window.

"I feel like a big fat thief!" answered Bubbles.

"Listen, Bubbles," ordered Blossom. "I'm certain the Minerva Sisters wouldn't mind us taking something of theirs if it meant rescuing them! If that means a little breaking and entering, fine."

They crept into the window.

Blossom turned on a light.

The scene was pretty much what Numbuh Three's room would look like if it were shared by three girls. The colors pink, purple, and orange were predominant, and toys were all over – Rainbow Monkeys, unicorns, Barbie dolls, and other cute things. Three beds (again, one pink, one orange, and one purple) were in the center.

"We need something personal of theirs right?" said Buttercup. "Well there are toys all around…"

"Not quite, Buttercup," mentioned Blossom. "For all we know, they share these toys. We need something that we know is deeply personal to at least one of them."

"Hmmm," muttered Buttercup. "If I were something personal, where would I be?"

After fifteen minutes, they hadn't found anything that they were certain would qualify. Frustrated, Buttercup collapsed on the orange bed and plopped her head on a small pillow…

And then she noticed that the pillow was hard.

Something was inside it.

"Hey, guys…" she called, picking it up.

She undid the zipper on the pillow, and took out the "something".

It was a book, with the stylized name "Randy" on it.

Buttercup opened it.

"A diary!" she exclaimed. "I think we have a winner!"

"Good job, Buttercup," said Blossom.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

As they flew back to Sector V headquarters, Blossom took out her communicator.

"Mission accomplished Numbuh One," she said into it. "We found Randy's diary. That should do the job."

"Anything good in it?" asked Numbuh Four, getting excited.

"Numbuh Four!" scolded Numbuh Three. "You _never _read a girl's diary!"

"She's got a point Numbuh Four," said Numbuh Two, who was analyzing the liquid. "Little girls have the power to put curses on anyone who reads their diaries…"

"Understood, Numbuh 51," said Numbuh One. "Get to the Treehouse ASAP."

"Well," said Numbuh Two, taking off his gloves. "You can put your fears to rest… This stuff is just water. Plain old H2O. In fact, this water is more pure than most water I've ever seen in nature… At least on earth."

"Then it's safe to assume that the Dark Void is _all _water, with no seafloor," pondered Numbuh One. "And maybe no surface either. But that doesn't mean that it isn't inhabited…

"We'll have to use our most reliable form of transportation…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

When Sector V and Sector P reunited, the two teams armed themselves again. Numbuh One started to make his speech.

"Okay everyone," he said, "we're going into the heart of uncharted territory. Our objective is search and rescue. We find the Minerva Sisters and get them out.

"The device that Numbuh 362 provided us with, in conjunction with the diary that Sector P found, should lead us to them, provided Randy hasn't been separated from the rest of them, which I doubt. If she has, finding her should lead us to the others.

"We have no idea what sort of life forms exist in this dimension, so we've made some modifications to the craft. If we're in danger, we'll simply abort the mission and use the Ancient Key to return to the Earth Dimension.

"Any questions?"

Everyone was silent.

"Good," he said.

He turned a key on the wall, and a special elevator rose. The boarded it.

They all rode it down, down into the earth. At a specific point, the elevator car moved forward, heading in the direction of the bay that bordered the city.

They finally got out, and walked up to the large craft in front of them…

**(Kids Next Door S.U.B.S.T.A.N.D.A.R.D.: Super Underwater Boat Swims Terrifically Around Nautical Defenses And Rarely Decompresses) **

Ten minutes later, the S.U.B.S.T.A.N.D.A.R.D. was launched into the bay, and shot forward.

"Let's do this troops!" stated Numbuh One.

He held the Ancient Key aloft, and repeated the chant…

The portal appeared before the 2x4 craft, and it swam directly into it…

…into the dark abyss…

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At the moment, Charon was meditating.

Meditation was harder than it appeared. These ancient oriental relaxation techniques could be more relaxing than actual sleep if you knew how to do it. They required a state of incredible calmness, and concentration; during meditation, you simply could not think.

Being a sorcerer of no small skill, he was rather good at it…

But all of a sudden, his trance was interrupted…

His eyes flicked open!

_What? _he thought. _Now I know I'm not imagining things! Someone has opened a portal to the Dark Void!_

_But why would anyone WANT to go there?_

He walked across the room to his enchanted mirror, and said a few arcane words over it.

He rubbed his chin as he saw the S.U.B.S.T.A.N.D.A.R.D. plodding through the dark waters.

_The Kids Next Door… _he thought. _They've used the Ancient Key to go there… And I think I know why they have… They've put two and two together…_

_They're awfully smart…_

_I can't risk them freeing those three brats…But my powers over the environment of the Dark Void are limited… I must alert the Guardian…_

…_and maybe cause a little ruckus for them on the way…_

He started to chant…

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

The 2x4 submarine swam through the murky water. Its large lights illuminated the way, but they didn't show much.

Every now and then, weird fish swam by, the likes of which they hadn't seen before. When they got a good look at them, it appeared that they didn't have eyes.

"Man, this place gives me the willies!" shuddered Numbuh Four.

"Clearly this ain't no vacation spot…" muttered Numbuh Five.

"Keep on course, Numbuh Two," ordered Numbuh One. "Our trackers place our goal at thirty nautical miles ahead…"

"Chief!" exclaimed Numbuh Two. "I'm picking up some weird energy readings up ahead…"

He paused.

"Everyone brace yourself!"

A fierce current ripped through the water, shaking the S.U.B.S.T.A.N.D.A.R.D.

"What was that?" exclaimed Buttercup.

Snowball tensed up…

"It was something to rile up the wildlife…" she muttered.

"How do you know?" asked Numbuh Four.

"Ahem," she answered, pointing to her face and her cat-like features.

"Everyone keep your eyes peeled…" warned Numbuh One. "Someone is trying to sic something after us… and with our lights on, we must stick out like the proverbial sore thumb in this place…"

"Yeah," added Blossom. "Keep your eye out for monsters…"

"Uh…" shuddered Numbuh Four, looking out a window. "Does a giant jellyfish with glowing antennae fit the description of 'monster'?"

"I should say so," answered Blossom. "Why?"

They all stopped short.

They all looked out the side where Numbuh Four was looking, and they saw the goliath of all jellyfish. Its body was ten feet long, and it had tentacles that were nearly a hundred feet long!

"YAAAH!" they all screamed as closed in on them.

"Numbuh Two, evasive action!" shouted Numbuh One.

"I'm trying, captain!" screamed Numbuh Two. "Piloting this thing isn't as easy as flying a plane, you know…"

Despite his efforts, the jellyfish wrapped its tentacles around the craft in an entangling hug!

"Good grief!" gasped Numbuh Five. "It's trying to _sting _the S.U.B.S.T.A.N.D.A.R.D.!"

"Someone's got to get out there and jam that jellyfish!" shouted Buttercup.

"Negative on that, Numbuh 65!" answered Numbuh One. "I know how jellyfish hunt – they sting smaller animals with a paralyzing poison emitted from their tentacles, and then devour them. No one here is going to wind up fish-food!"

Even with no eyes, the jellyfish looked a little confused. Apparently, it had never preyed on something that its poison couldn't work on…

"We gotta do somethin'!" shouted Numbuh Five.

"I've got an idea," said Numbuh Two, typing in some codes. "I'm reversing polarity on the tractor beams…"

"Tractor beams?" asked Numbuh One. "Those are for pulling things towards the craft…"

"And now they're going to _push _that thing _away _from the craft!" answered Numbuh Two.

"Here we go, tractor beams at full power! Everyone hang on to something!"

A wave of energy emitted from the S.U.B.S.T.A.N.D.A.R.D.; the huge jellyfish tried to hang on, but the ship was ripped from its grasp! The S.U.B.S.T.A.N.D.A.R.D. was sent tumbling!

Everyone screamed as Hoagie worked to right the vessel…

"Full throttle!" he shouted.

The S.U.B.S.T.A.N.D.A.R.D. sped away in a blast, leaving the confused and dazed jellyfish behind.

The crew got up…

"Let's do that again!" shouted Numbuh Three.

"Tell me, Kuki," asked Buttercup, "does insanity run in your family?"

"Uh, no…" she replied. "Except my great aunt… She used to talk to her house plants…"

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The ship plodded on.

"We're nearing our destination," urged Numbuh One. "We should be able to see it by now…"

"Roger that, Numbuh One," answered Numbuh Two. "And I think I do…"

Looming ahead was a huge piece of rock, like an asteroid floating in the dark sea. A large cave, more than big enough for the S.U.B.S.T.A.N.D.A.R.D. to get though, was in the side of it.

"Steady as she goes, Numbuh Two," warned Numbuh One. "We don't know what's in there."

The craft swam into the cave, into a vertical tunnel.

"I think there's an air-filled cave above us," stated Numbuh Two. "I'll start ascent…"

After a few minutes of going upward, the craft broke surface…

They were in a water-filled grotto, with a rocky shore on one side, with an archway leading in.

The crew readied their weapons and disembarked.

They looked up, and saw that writing was written on the archway, this time in plain English:

"**ENTRANCE FORBIDDEN! NO INTERLOPERS ALLOWED PAST THIS POINT! ESPECIALLY NOT MEMBERS OF THE KIDS NEXT DOOR!"**

They all chuckled.

"Charon, if you think you scare us with a "Keep Out" sign, you are sadly mistaken!" laughed Blossom.

"Be on your toes, people!" warned Numbuh One. "There's no telling what traps or guardians he's put beyond this point…"

They looked at the floor before them.

They were made up of three colors of large tiles – red, blue, and yellow.

"Hold on, y'all," said Numbuh Five.

She took a coin from her pocket, and tossed it. It landed on a red tile.

A pillar crashed down from the ceiling where it landed!

"Okay…" she said.

She took out another coin, and tossed it, this time hitting a blue tile.

This time the floor sped _up, _smashing into the ceiling!

"Third time's the charm…" she said, taking another coin.

She tossed it on a yellow tile.

Nothing happened.

"Figures," muttered Numbuh Five. "The oldest pattern in the book – red, you're dead, blue, you're through, yellow, you're mellow.

"Everyone who can't fly, only step on the yellow tiles."

Carefully, they did so, and after twenty feet, they were clear of the trapped hallway.

A lever was on the other side of the hallway, with the words "On" and "Off". The lever was set to "On."

Numbuh Five flicked it "Off" and the tiles all turned black.

"That ought to make getting out easier," she said.

They looked around. They were now in a huge chamber, with demonic gargoyles carved into the ceiling…

But that wasn't what most impressed them. At the far end of the room was a huge, clear crystal. Inside the crystal were three figures.

They were three young girls, identical in almost every way, except the color of their dresses: One wore pink, the other orange, and the third violet. The dresses themselves were frilled, with midriffs. They had long, curly, strawberry blonde hair, and cute dimples.

Their skin still had a healthy, pink coloring to it, so they clearly weren't dead, but they clearly weren't conscious.

"We've found them…" spoke up Numbuh One.

"The poor things!" gasped Numbuh Three.

"So what now?" asked Buttercup.

"Well, we might be able to tie that crystal to the S.U.B.S.T.A.N.D.A.R.D." mused Numbuh One. "Then we can activate the Ancient Key and see if we can…"

"Hold up…" interrupted Numbuh Five. "This seems a bit too easy…"

They all paused.

They knew that when Numbuh Five said that something seemed too easy, things were about to get harder…

And they _were. _

A fiendish laughter echoed across the chamber. The nine operatives raised their weapons…

A huge form appeared in the center of the room. He was man-shaped, but definitely not man-like. He was ten-feet tall, about half-that broad, and incredibly muscular. His skin was chalk-white. He wore black trousers, iron boots, and no shirt. He also wore an iron helmet that covered his entire head, leaving only openings for eyes in which a red glow emitted. Most remarkably, he carried a huge axe, almost as big as himself.

The nine operatives gulped…

The demon held the axe in front of him, and it blazed with fire…

"Go back, Kids Next Door!" he commanded. "Lord Charon has decreed that no one, especially not the likes of you, will free his prisoners!"

"What has he done to them?" shouted Numbuh One.

The guardian chuckled.

"What they deserved for having the gall to humiliate him," the creature responded. "They've been sleeping for the past year, dreaming their worst nightmares…"

"That's horrible!" cried Numbuh Three.

"We can take you…" warned Numbuh One. "You may look big and mean, but the bigger they are, the harder they fall…"

The nine operatives formed fighting stances.

The demon paused…

He chuckled.

"Nine against one?" he asked. "That's hardly a fair fight… Let me ask you, Kids Next Door… Do you believe in fair play?"

"Course we do…" snarled Numbuh Four. "But you… I doubt you even know the meaning of 'fair'!"

"Well, I have a proposition for you," said the demon.

He raised his axe in front of him.

"This axe is more than just a weapon – it is also the only thing that can shatter the crystal that holds those three prisoner. But should you attack me _en masse, _I might decide to abandon my post and leave you with three prisoners you simply _can't _rescue…

"My proposition is thus… You will choose one of your own as a champion to fight in mortal combat. If he or she wins, you will be able to free them…

"But if your champion falls, his or her comrades will share their fate…"

He pointed to the Minerva Sisters.

There was a long pause…

"Give us a minute…" said Numbuh One. "Everybody huddle!"

They got together.

"Somehow I think this guy has the advantage in one-on-one combat…" muttered Snowball.

"You think?" exclaimed Numbuh Four. "Look at the size of him!"

"Aw, size, shmize!" scoffed Buttercup. "I'll take him on! I've handled monsters much bigger and scarier than this!"

"Well," muttered Blossom. "Of the three of us, she's the strongest… Physically…"

"Okay Numbuh 65," said Numbuh One. "Don't forget, we're counting on you…"

Buttercup rose into the air.

"Okay ugly," she announced. "I'm their champion. Welcome to the last fight of your life!"

The demon laughed.

"Either you are very brave or very foolhardy, little girl!" he laughed. "Whatever the case, this is your last stand!"

His axe blazed with fire, and he swung it at Buttercup, but she dodged aside…

And then she noticed that she hadn't completely dodged it. A large, burning rip had been made in her flackjacket.

IMan, this guy's fast/I she thought.

She had at first complained about Blossom insisting that they even wear the KND flackjackets – after all, the three of them were bulletproof. But Blossom said that for a dangerous mission you could never have too much protection. Right now, Buttercup knew why her sister was the leader of Sector P.

She flew out of the demon's reach.

"Think you're safe up there?" mocked the demon. "Think again!"

He swung his axe, and a wave of fire shot forth from it.

Fortunately, Buttercup _didn't _exactly believe she was safe, and she was ready to dodge a projectile.

She had actually flown to the ceiling to get a clear shot with her weapon. It was best to use up her 2x4 weaponry before plowing into him with her own abilities.

She whipped the teddy bear rifle off her back and took aim…

"Eat hot teddy bears!" she shouted.

She fired ten rounds of lethal stuffed animals at the fiend! A barrage of explosions erupted around him, and he bellowed!

"I taught her how to use that!" cheered Numbuh Three.

"Keep it up, sister!" shouted Numbuh Five.

The demon shook his head.

"Toys…" he muttered. "You embarrass me by attacking me with _toys?"_

Buttercup tossed the empty rifle aside.

"Will fists do?" she asked.

She flew down, and clocked the demon in the gut!

He skidded back, but he wasn't nearly down yet.

He charged, and his axe flamed up again, he swung, this time hitting Buttercup in the chest!

Her flackjacket took another blow, but she was lucky. Had it not been for skin hardened by Chemical X, she'd have been cut in half.

Even so, that blow _hurt. _This demon was even stronger than he looked, if such a thing was possible.

Buttercup was now entertaining the possibility that he might even be as strong as she was, which was a frightening thought…

She flew towards the creature and socked him in the face…

"YEEOUCH!" she cried, bruising her fist against his helmet.

The demon laughed cruelly.

Buttercup didn't know what that helmet was made of, but it was clearly stronger than standard iron…

The demon slammed his axe on the ground, sending a shockwave that threw Buttercup into the air! She fell down on her face.

"Well, this has been fun…" chuckled the demon, walking up to her.

He put his foot on her back.

"But I'm afraid it ends now…"

He lifted the axe above his head, clearly meaning to chop her head off…

"NO!" cried Bubbles.

In just a few seconds, her sister would be dead…

And then Buttercup apparently got her second wind. She suddenly flew towards the ceiling…

…taking her foe with her.

She slammed the demon against the ceiling, and he gasped. Then she dropped him, and he fell to the floor.

The operatives watching cheered.

The demon chuckled as he got up…

"Well," he said, retrieving his axe, "I must say, I haven't had a challenge this intense in a _long _time! It's actually quite… refreshing!

"But you still won't win…"

"Want a bet?" cursed Buttercup.

She blasted her heat vision at the creature, striking him in the chest. He gasped and fell on his behind.

And then he just stood back up.

_Man he's nearly indestructible! _thought Buttercup.

She turned, and noticed a pouch on Numbuh Five's hip.

She zoomed over to her and snatched it.

"Gotta borrow this!" she told the surprised Numbuh Five.

_I've got an idea, _she thought, _but first I have to make a crack in that helmet of his!_

She tucked the pouch into her belt, and charged at the demon.

"Come on!" he mocked. "I dare you!"

He swung with his axe, but Buttercup dodged, and socked his metal face with both fists!

She screamed and tumbled back! Her two fists throbbed with pain.

The fiend chuckled…

"Guess you won't be punching me any more today…" he laughed.

Buttercup looked up.

Part one had worked. She had smashed away a the part of the helmet that covered his eyes. She didn't exactly like the look of his eyes, as they were glowing red with no pupils, but she could now implement her plan…

She just hoped that her hands still worked…

She reached into the pouch, and painfully pulled out a handful of little spheres…

She flew at the demon…

"Amazing…" he laughed. "Haven't you given up yet?"

He reached out and grabbed Buttercup by the neck.

"This ends now!" he laughed, as his axe blazed again.

"Yeah," muttered Buttercup. "For you…"

She reached over, and shoved the small spheres into the gap she had made in his helmet!

"What?" shouted the demon. "What did you do?"

He let go of Buttercup and dropped the axe. Buttercup flew away…

**(Kids Next Door M.A.R.B.L.E.: Miniature Armament Releases Badly Large Explosion)**

A huge blast erupted where the demon was standing, and an unearthly scream echoed throughout the chamber!

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

In his hidden lair, Charon suddenly looked up from the book he was reading.

He made it a point to cast a certain spell on all of his servants, and one of the things that spell did was alert him when one of his servants was killed.

He concentrated, and within seconds, he learned the full details of the events leading to the death of the demon he had tasked with guarding the Minerva Sisters…

He clutched his forehead in frustration…

"Why me?" he moaned.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

There was nothing left of the guardian demon but his huge axe.

"Ha, ha!" laughed Numbuh Four. "You did it, Buttercup! That loser didn't know what hit him!"

"Indeed," said Blossom, lifting the huge axe, "and now we'd best do what we came here to do."

She floated towards the huge crystal where the Minerva Sisters were sealed inside. The axe blazed with flame again.

She struck the crystal with the axe, and it started to crack…

After a few seconds, it shattered, and the three girls fell to the floor. They were still unconscious.

Numbuh Three came up and felt for a pulse on one of them.

After about a minute she spoke up.

"Their heartbeat is normal, their breathing is fine, but I'm not sure when they're gonna wake up," she said.

"We've got to get back to Earth and get them to the sick bay," ordered Numbuh One. "Four, Five, 218, carry them…"

"What about this thing?" asked Blossom, holding the axe.

"Bring that along too," added Numbuh One. "It might prove useful…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

After getting the three triplets on the S.U.B.S.T.A.N.D.A.R.D. there was no need for a return voyage. Numbuh One simply said a different chant using the Ancient Key, and before long, they were back in terrestrial waters.

It was nine PM by the time they got back to the Sector V Treehouse. The Minerva Sisters were still fast asleep on beds in the sick bay, being fed by IV tubes, while Numbuh Three – the medic for Sector V, more or less – looked over them.

The nine operatives watched them for a while.

"What do you think is going on in their heads now?" asked Snowball.

"Hopefully," responded Numbuh Five, "they're finally having pleasant dreams, after a year of nightmares."

"Well," said Blossom, "the four of us have to get going for now – we've still got Ms. Keene's class tomorrow."

The operatives left, leaving the Sisters in Numbuh Three's care.

Then Numbuh Three got an idea.

She rushed to her room and got three of her Rainbow Monkeys.

Then she put one under each of the three patients' arms.

"They'll help you get better," she chuckled.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Meanwhile, Charon was walking down a hallway with Cree.

"Those Kids Next Door are truly becoming a nuisance," he growled. "The Minerva Sisters know things that I'd prefer they don't know…"

"So what's the next move?" asked Cree, suspiciously.

She still was a little upset at her new boss for freezing her in a block of ice – but compared to what Father used to do to, it wasn't all that bad…

Charon opened a book and turned the pages.

"The Kids Next Door have the Ancient Key, so most likely they'll next try to find the Ancient Blade," he mused.

"I know the Blade is in Japan, but if my failure to find the Key is any indication, trying to locate it myself would be pointless…

"But why bother? Since the Kids Next Door found the Key so easily, we'll just let them locate it and have them lead us to it!"

He turned a page, and a picture of a creature in Spartan-like armor was on it.

"And should they obtain the Blade as well, I have a back-up plan to get it and the Key…"

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_**Coming up next: The Minerva Sisters are free, but they'll have to recover before they can chitchat. More mysteries about Charon will be revealed in the next chapter.**_

_**Also, it's off to the Land of the Rising Sun to find the Ancient Blade, the second artifact on this mystical scavenger hunt. But some old enemies of the Kids Next Door are going to make that much harder. Don't miss "Archway to Treasure" coming soon…**_

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_Kid Trivia: Both Numbuh Five and her sister Cree Lincoln have the voice of actress Cree Summer (Cree is naturally named after the actress herself). The daughter of actor Don Francks, Summer has a long history of doing voices in cartoons; the most notable being in "Inspector Gadget" (as Penny), "Batman Beyond" (as Max Gibson), and "Danny Phantom" (as Valerie)._


	13. Archways to Treasure

_Caution! Long chapter!_

_Also, to all fans of my KND/Yu-Gi-Oh crossover…_

_You're gonna love this chapter._

_Also, to all fans of Numbuh Four, let me just say that I'm sorry I have sort of neglected him so far. I hope this chapter will make up for it._

_But anyway, onto the chapter._

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**CHAPTER THIRTEEN**

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**Archways To Treasure**

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The Global Command Arctic Base had a lot of purposes. It was second in importance only to the Moonbase, after all.

It held research and development, the training facilities, the largest medical ward…

...and the prison complex.

But lately, Numbuh 404 wasn't in the best of moods. She angry at the lax security that had let Cree Lincoln waltz out of the place with the Rowdyruff Boys…

And she was about to get angrier, because another example of poor security was about to show itself.

The alarm blared throughout the base!

"**ALERT! ALERT!" **screamed a voice over the loudspeakers. **"All security guards to arms! Yin and Yang have broken free from their cells!"**

Yin and Yang (collectively known as the Interesting Twins From Beneath The Mountain) didn't know how it happened… One minute they were asleep in their cells, and the next, something shocked them awake, and they saw that the walls were disintegrated, leaving atunnel to the outside. Never ones not to take advantage of a good situation, they fled, and they soon ran into each other – rumors among the Kids Next Door said that these siblings were bonded in mind in a way similar to their other siblings, the Delightful Children.

But right now, they were considering going back. After all, they had no idea how they were going to escape across a tundra of ice – not to mention the fact that the Kids Next Door fed their prisoners rather well. Both of them had gained a little weight and were out of shape…

The two stopped to catch their breath.

"Sister!" gasped Yin. "They are right behind us!"

"Perhaps…" panted Yang, "we should turn ourselves in. It might not be too late to avoid solitary confinement…"

And then a huge creature flew down from the sky…

The two twins couldn't believe their eyes. It was a giant raven with midnight-black feathers!

"Interesting…" they both said at once.

As it landed, they saw that the creature was saddled, and someone they knew was mounted on it…

"CREE?" they gasped.

"Hi, kids!" laughed Cree. "Need a lift?"

The Twins were never ones to look a gift bird in the mouth. They climbed on the back of the huge bird.

"Hold on tight!" laughed Cree.

The bird took to the sky, leaving the Arctic Base behind.

"Cree, who sent you to free us?" asked Yin. "Father?"

"Nah," answered Cree. "I'm working for a new employer now, and he's just dying to meet you two!"

"A new employer?" asked Yang.

The two thought about this. They didn't exactly like Father much – after all, ever since the fiasco at the Moonbase, he had left the two of them to rot…

"This guy needs a job done in Japan," explained Cree. "The fringe benefits are great, and even better…"

She grinned.

"…you'll get a chance to get even with those Kids Next Door!"

"Ha!" laughed Yin. "The Interesting Twins From Beneath The Mountain would jump at the chance!"

"Where do we show up?" asked Yang.

"We'll be at his place momentarily…" replied Cree.

A dark portal opened, and the huge bird flew into it.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

The next day at four, the two Sectors again met at the Sector V Treehouse. They were due to give a report to Numbuh 362.

Buttercup had been complaining the whole day. Her hands still hurt from that massive punch she had given to that creature's metal helmet.

_Note to self… _she had thought. _Demons wear hard armor…_

Numbuh 362's transmission came through right on the dot.

"So," she asked. "How are the patients doing?"

"Well," said Numbuh Three, looking at a clipboard. "Here's the results of their examination… Blood pressure: perfect! Body fat percentage: perfect! Cholesterol level… uhm… so-so…"

"So-so?" asked Numbuh One with a weird look.

"Well, ya can't win them all…" muttered Numbuh Three. "Basically, they're in pretty good health, considering the fact that they won't wake up…"

Numbuh 362 sighed.

"Likely Charon _wanted _them healthy," she mused. "He wanted them to live and suffer nightmares forever… The monster…"

"That's another thing…" noted Numbuh Three. "Their brain activity is exceptionally high… It's as if they're not only asleep, but they can't leave their… Oh, what do you call that part of sleep when you dream?"

"It's called REM, Kuki," stated Blossom. "Rapid Eye Movement."

Numbuh 362 rubbed her chin.

"The Minerva Sisters have been trapped in Charon's dark spell for a year…" she mused. "It's only a theory on my part, but I'd say that now that they've been pulled out of it, they're attempting to fight off what remains of the darkness. Once they succeed, they'll wake up…"

"How long will that be?" asked Bubbles.

"Dunno," replied 362. "Could be a day, could be a week. But they need a great deal of TLC, so I'm sending a team of the best medics to look after them for you…

"Speaking of which, you'd all best get excuse notes for school tomorrow, because tomorrow's mission is going to be an all-day trip…"

The operatives groaned. The Kids Next Door knew every trick in the book to forge excuse notes… but tomorrow was Friday, and getting excuses for Mondays and Fridays were always the hardest…

"What are you guys, kindergartners?" scolded 362.

"Uh, yes we are…" answered Blossom. "At least three of us_…"_

Bubbles and Buttercup coughed.

"Listen people," ordered Numbuh 362, "this is an important mission! We've found the location of the Ancient Blade!"

Numbuh Three squealed with glee!

"Does that mean we're going to Japan?" she screamed with delight.

"Yes," replied 362 with a grin. "To Nikko, to be precise."

"YAY!" shouted Numbuh Three. "I love Nikko!"

They all looked at her.

"It's a village a short distance from Tokyo," she explained, "famous for its beautiful forest shrines!"

"Shrines…" pondered Numbuh Five. "More hallowed ground. Somethin' tells me that someone didn't want people like Charon touching these things…"

"Exactly, Numbuh Five," said 362. "We did some research on the Key, Blade, and Tome…

"These artifacts have been used for evil purposes many times in past. So most people assume that they are items of evil magic. But the truth is, they can't distinguish between good and evil. They are capable of aiding the forces of light and darkness alike.

"Their last owner was fortunately a benevolent sorcerer, and when he knew his time in the mortal world was ebbing, he took steps to make sure the forces of evil wouldn't get his hands on them. He hid them in hallowed grounds in three places scattered around the world. The Key in the Christian Catacombs, the Blade in the Nikko Shrines, and the Tome… well, we aren't sure about that yet, but it's certain to be in another sacred place.

"Anyway, here's how you get find the Blade… It's hidden in a secret shrine.

"Deep in the woods of Nikko are three Tori Gates… red archways. These ancient gates are said to lead to spiritual places, such as shrines.

"Two males and one female must perform a simple ritual. The two males must walk through the two outer gates, and when they are through, the female must walk through the middle gate. The female cannot start walking until the two males are completely through the gates.

"Then the two males must stand behind the female, and they must walk back through the middle gate one after another. In this second part, the second person doing it must not start walking until the first is completely through the gate, and the third cannot start walking until _both_ of the others are completely through the gate.

"The three participants cannot speak while doing this…"

Numbuh One was writing this down...

"Also," warned Numbuh 362, "throughout this whole process, the three participants must keep their minds free of evil thoughts. If, for example, something goes wrong on the first attempt, no frustration may be shown. If they do, something bad might happen…"

The operatives gulped…

"If all goes well," continued Numbuh 362, "the secret shrine should simply appear."

"Okay chief," said Numbuh One. "We'll be on it first thing tomorrow morning."

"Better make it one in the morning," said Numbuh 362. "There's a big time difference between your Treehouse and Japan. End transmission."

"You heard the boss-lady," ordered Numbuh One. "Start gassing up the skyship, and Numbuh Three…"

He paused.

"Load the big guy into it. Charon is bound to try to stop us.

"And once we're all prepared, we're going to bed early!"

A small raven flew from the rafters and out the window.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Numbuh Four quickly packed the essentials. Going to bed at six PM irked him, but this wasn't the first he'd have to leave in the middle of the night for a mission.

He noticed something on the floor of his room…

He walked over and picked it up…

A grin came over his face, and he placed it in his satchel.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Lenore flew into Charon's lair, as the dark sorcerer was briefing his two newest recruits.

Charon perked up at his bird's arrival. The raven whispered into his ear…

A scowl formed on his face…

"Yin, Yang…" he said to the Twins. "How familiar are you with Nikko?"

"Very familiar, Charon," answered Yin.

"We used to go there for spring break!" added Yang.

"Fine…" muttered Charon. "Those rotten operatives will be there tomorrow… Take the strongest weapon you have, and when they find the Ancient Blade, _take _it from them!

"And do to them whatever you want…"

"Hear that sister?" said Yin. "We will finally…

"…have our revenge!" chuckled Yang.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

One hour after midnight (EST), Sector V's largest craft blasted off into the night sky.

The flying airship shot across the night sky, with the slightly refreshed crew making plans.

"So it's settled…" said Numbuh One, looking over his notes.

"Numbuhs Five, Two, and I will do that ritual with the Tori Gates when we find them…

"Sector P will guard the area while we do that…

"Numbuh Four will guard the perimeter…

"And Numbuh Three will provide the heavy support if necessary… That reminds me… Numbuh Three is the big guy ready to go?"

"I still haven't been able to teach him to roll over yet, but…" started Numbuh Three.

"The important things, Numbuh Three," sighed Numbuh One.

"He's ready and able!" laughed Numbuh Three.

Numbuh Four grimaced as he hefted his satchel.

"I can't believe the way you treat that hunk of junk like it were a pet…" he mumbled.

That was the thing about Numbuh Four – he never learned.

"WHO'S A HUNK OF JUNK?" yelled Numbuh Three into his face.

Numbuh Four fell over on his back…

And his satchel spilled open.

Numbuh Five looked up.

"What the heck?" she said, walking up to it.

"Don't touch that!" shouted Numbuh Four.

Numbuh Five chuckled as she lifted a large, shiny item out of the satchel.

"Genius…" she laughed. "Why on earth did you bring your Duel Disk?"

"Uhm, well…" muttered Numbuh Four.

"That's an answer I want to hear as well…" ordered Numbuh One.

"Well…" sighed Numbuh Four.

He paused.

"We were going to Japan…" he muttered. "I kinda figured… we could look Yugi up and ask him for a duel…"

The other four members of Sector V laughed while the members of Sector P looked on in wonder.

"Yeah, right!" laughed Numbuh Two. "Like you wanted to duel the King of Games!"

"Genius…" chuckled Numbuh Five, "that guy won the Battle City Tournament! Even if we could find him, he'd cream you in two rounds!"

Numbuh Four gave a sulk.

"Okay, maybe you'd last four…" she admitted.

"All right!" he shouted. "It was a dumb idea!"

"It was even dumber than most of your dumb ideas…" muttered Numbuh Two.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

At about noon, Japanese time, the craft landed about a mile outside of Nikko.

Two viewers were watching.

"There is their craft…" said Yang.

"Get ready sister," chuckled Yin. "Today, the payment for our humiliation begins!

"Uhm, our secret weapon is ready, right?"

"Yes…" she replied.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Nikko…

A serene, picturesque village, with beautiful landmarks on every street and the surrounding area. Shines dedicated to Buddhism and Shinto dotted the city, and many more populated the peaceful forest. Bad things rarely came to this place…

At least not until now.

As most members of the expedition searched the forest, Numbuh Four scouted the perimeter as he was assigned. It wasn't the most dignified job, but he was probably the least likely to be taken out in an ambush.

_Man… _he thought, scanning the area with binoculars. _This place looks expensive… I feel like I'm wasting a fortune just bein' here…_

He looked at a statue of the three monkeys who saw, heard, and spoke no evil.

_Huh, _he thought. _I never could figure those three guys out…_

He swept the area with his binoculars.

_Let's see, statues, shrine, more statues, sushi bar…_

He paused as he looked at the sushi bar.

To his surprise, two children whom he recognized were lunching there.

_Well I'll be,_ he thought. _If it isn't Father's most incompetent spies… Looking for us, I'll bet._

He looked down, and saw a backpack. Yang's name was on it, and it was opened.

Numbuh Four looked shocked when he saw a familiar object sticking out.

_Well, well, _he thought. _Interesting hobby you have, Yang. I wonder… how good are you at it?_

He put the binoculars away.

_Best warn the others…_

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

After about a half hour, the team's sensors had found a peaceful glade in the forest…

As Numbuh 362 had described, three Tori Gates stood in the center. They were painted red, but seemed ancient.

"These must be it," sighed Numbuh One. "Well, lets…"

"Hey guys!" shouted Numbuh Four's voice.

He rushed into the clearing.

"You found something Numbuh Four?" asked Numbuh One.

"Yeah, trouble," asked Numbuh Four. "Those not-so-Interesting Twins are here…"

"Yin and Yang?" said Numbuh Five in disgust. "When did they break out of the cooler?"

Everybody paused.

"Charon!" they all said at once.

"All right!" said Numbuh One. "We'll stick to the plan for now. Sector P, you stand guard when Numbuhs Two, Five, and I do the ritual. Numbuh Four, you help them."

"Gotcha!" affirmed Numbuh Four, pulling a mustard gun out of his holster.

Numbuh One turned on his communicator.

"Numbuh Three!" he said into it. "We might need the big guy soon, so set him to stealth mode!"

"Okey-dokey, artichokey!" said Numbuh Three's voice.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

A mile away, on the airship, a large hatch opened.

Two huge eyes peered out…

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Numbuh Five stood in front of the center arch. Numbuh One stood to her left in front of the left arch, and Numbuh Two stood to her right in front of the right arch.

"Remember," said Numbuh One. "Total silence, and no evil thoughts. Clear your minds…"

A bird called. They took deep breaths…

Numbuhs One and Two stepped forward. They both walked under their arches; then Numbuh One continued walking for ten feet, and Numbuh Two continued for fifteen feet.

They stopped and turned towards the center.

Numbuh Five walked forward through her arch. She stopped five feet away from it. She turned around.

Numbuhs One and Two walked behind Numbuh Five and faced her back.

Numbuh Five took a deep breath again. She walked back through the arch, and walked fifteen feet beyond it.

She stopped.

Numbuh One walked towards the arch and through it. He walked ten feet beyond it.

He stopped.

Slowly, Numbuh Two walked through the arch, and walked five feet beyond it.

He stopped.

There was a dead calm.

Then the three Tori Gates vanished!

A rumbling was heard, and twenty feet away from them, an ancient shrine rose out of the ground! It was decorated in Shinto style, and held a small altar on it…

On the altar was a long dagger made of bronze and etched with runes!

"The Ancient Blade!" gasped Numbuh Five.

They started to walk toward it…

And suddenly they were startled, as something came crashing down!

They looked up, and saw that the "something" was a huge robot! Nearly fifty feet long, it was in the shape of an oriental dragon, with steam flaring from its nostrils!

They heard familiar laughter…

Yin and Yang walked out from under the underside of the great beast. Yin was holding a remote.

"Thank you so much for finding the Ancient Blade, Kids Next Door," said Yin.

"We will just take it from here," chuckled Yang. "Unless you want to argue with our little pet…"

The robot dragon growled.

"Oh please…" said Blossom, as she and her sisters flew up. "We've taken on bigger robots than that…"

They flew at the thing…

And it belched forth a blast of black flame!

"Ow…" squeaked Blossom.

"Ouch…" moaned Bubbles.

"Eep…" croaked Buttercup.

They fell to the ground.

"What was that?" demanded Numbuh One.

"We're not sure," chuckled Yang. "It's a chemical concoction that was invented by a scientist…"

"…who Father had to… lay off!" laughed Yin.

"Well, Interesting Twins…" chuckled Numbuh One. "Your chemical works well against creatures… But how do you think it would fare against another robot?"

"Huh?" asked Yin.

And then a roar sounded through the forest. The operatives scattered.

An immense form came crashing through the underbrush, and a huge metallic rabbit loomed over the heads of the operatives!

"Meet Hippy-Hop!" said Numbuh One with a grin.

At the controls of the huge mecha, Numbuh Three grinned.

She always loved doing this.

"Your big rabbit does not scare us, Kids Next Door!" shouted Yang.

"Speak for yourself…" muttered Yin.

The dragon robot blasted its flame at Hippy-Hop, and he was engulfed in it…

When the smoke cleared, he merely scratched his ears and glared at the twins.

"**My turn!" **he roared.

A missile launcher opened on his back, and a barrage of rockets flew towards the dragon! The Twins shielded themselves as explosions rocked their robot…

But when the smoke cleared, it was apparent that he had done no more damage than the dragon had done to him.

"HA, HA!" laughed Yang. "Our mecha's armor is too thick for your robot! You can't scratch it!"

Numbuh One quickly picked up his communicator.

"Numbuh Three, do you have anything stronger?" he yelled.

"Maybe…" responded Numbuh Three, "but it would drain all of Hippy-Hop's fuel… if it doesn't work…"

"Great…" muttered Numbuh One.

"Lovely…" muttered Numbuh Five. "We've got a stalemate!"

Numbuh One accessed the situation…

It did indeed look like a stalemate. Neither of these two mechas seemed capable of harming the other. The Twins' mecha had one obvious weakness – the Twins themselves. But if Numbuh One ordered an attack, the dragon would open fire before they could reach them – and he truly doubted that they could survive something that could hurt the Powerpuff Girls. He probably sensed that the Twins knew that they didn't dare attack either with Hippy-Hop behind them…

The Ancient Blade was just twenty feet away… Neither side could make a grab for it, and neither side could leave it behind…

A true stalemate…

"All right!" shouted Numbuh Four. "I've had enough…"

He walked up towards the Twins.

"Numbuh Four, are you crazy?"

"Stay back!" warned Yang.

Numbuh Four took his weapon and tossed it on the ground.

"What's this?" she said.

"I have a question for you Yang…" he asked. "Are you a coward?"

"WHAT?" shouted Yang, angrily. "I am by no means a coward! If I were, I'd have run at the sight of that bunny-eared monstrosity!"

Hippy-Hop growled in anger…

"Well then," said Numbuh Four with a grin. "What do you say we decide this in a… sporting manner?"

"Has Numbuh Four flipped his lid?" said Numbuh Two to Numbuh Five.

"Numbuh Five thinks he has…" moaned Numbuh Five.

"Sporting manner?" asked Yang. "As in a game of chess?"

"No…" chuckled Four. "Something more… violent! I noticed what you were keeping in your backpack, Yang…"

Yang looked at her backpack…

"It's a KaibaCorp Duel Disk, isn't it?" accused Numbuh Four. "I take it you play Duel Monsters?"

Yang chuckled.

"Go on…" she urged.

"One duel…" dared Numbuh Four. "You versus me. Winner gets the Ancient Blade! Simple enough?"

Yang laughed. She pulled the Duel Disk out of her backpack.

"I'd be a fool _not _to accept a challenge from the Kids Next Door's stupidest member!" she laughed.

"Numbuh Four…" cautioned Numbuh One. "Are you sure? You can't even beat Numbuh Three!"

"Well, since no one else brought their deck, it seems our options are limited," said Numbuh Four.

He took out his own Duel Disk and strapped it onto his arm.

"So shuffle and load, Yang!"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Numbuh Three had climbed out of Hippy-Hop, and the operatives were sitting behind Numbuh Four.

"So, uh…" said Snowball to Numbuh Two. "Do you think Numbuh Four can beat her?"

"Let me put it this way…" muttered Numbuh Two. "In the past month, I've played him about thirty-three times, and he's won… four of those times."

Numbuh One motioned to Bubbles, who had just recovered.

"Listed Numbuh 218," he said. "I really don't trust these two, so here's what I want you to do…"

"You really think you can defeat me?" dared Yang. "I'll deplete your Life Points in four turns! Assuming you can even count that high!"

"Oh, _that's _an original insult…" mocked Numbuh Four.

He raised his Disk, and the holo-imagers shot out. His Disk swung into position.

Yang repeated the move.

"It's time to duel, as they're so fond of saying…" said Numbuh Four.

_(Author's note: Numbuh Four and Yang will be using real-world rules for this contest, as opposed to anime rules.)_

"Ladies first," said Numbuh Four, drawing his first hand. "And I use the term _very _loosely…"

"You will regret those words!" shouted Yang, drawing six cards. "Just try to damage my Life Points!"

**(4: 8,000 Y: 8,000)**

Yang took a card from her hand.

"For my first move…" she said, "I will summon the dreaded _Opticlops!"_

She threw a card down, and a hulking, yellow-skinned Fiend with one eye appeared. (1,800/1,700)

"Now just try to get past it…" she dared.

Numbuh Four made his first draw.

_Not bad for a first hand… _he thought.

"I'll summon my Marauding Captain…" he said, placing a card down.

A young knight, wearing armor and a cape carrying two swords appeared. (1,200/400)

"…and when Marauding Captain is summoned, his power allows me to summon another Monster," continued Numbuh Four. "So I'll also summon my Axe Raider!"

He put another card down, and a hulking, armored barbarian carrying a battleaxe appeared. (1,700/1,150)

"Heh…" chuckled Yang. "Neither of your two creatures can defeat mine!"

"Not by themselves," agreed Numbuh Four, "but I also have a Magic Card…"

He lifted it up.

"It's called The A. Forces!"

He fit the card into a slot.

"Since I have two Warriors on the field, this card powers up both of them by 400 points!"

Marauding Captain's Attack Score went up to 1,600, and Axe Raider's went up to 2,100.

"WHAT?" shouted Yang. "That isn't supposed to happen!"

"It did!" laughed Numbuh Four. "Axe Raider, attack her Opticlops with battleaxe crush!"

Axe Raider charged forth, and cut the Fiend in half, causing it to shatter!

"You have no Monsters on the field, Yang," grinned Numbuh Four, "and you know what that means…"

Yang gulped…

"Marauding Captain, attack her directly!"

Marauding Captain raised his blades, and slashed at Yang with them! She fell over!

"SISTER!" yelled Yin.

"I'm fine…" groaned Yang. "But someone else isn't going to be…"

**(4: 8,000 Y: 6,100)**

"Wow…" muttered Numbuh Two. "He actually won the first exchange… I'm impressed…"

"Keep it up, Numbuh Four!" shouted Numbuh Three.

"It's my move…" said Yang, angrily.

She drew a card.

"I'll play Mystical Space Typhoon, to blow away your A. Forces!" she shouted.

She played the card, and a whirlwind blew away the Magic Card.

The two Warriors returned to their normal Attack levels.

"Now I'll summon another Fiend…" she stated. "Meet La Jinn the Mystical Genie of the Lamp!"

She put a card down, and green smoke started to rise. It formed into an impressive-looking genie with green skin and a skullcap. He chuckled. (1,800/1,000)

"La Jinn, attack his Marauding Captain!" she shouted.

The genie shot forth a blast of flame from his mouth, incinerating the Warrior!

"You thought I did not know about your Captain's other ability?" laughed Yang. "I knew that he could protect your other Warriors! I know enough about this game to defeat you!

"I'll place one card facedown, and end my turn…"

She fit a card into a slot, and it materialized behind La Jinn.

**(4: 7,400 Y: 6,100)**

"All right…" muttered Numbuh One, drawing a card.

_Heh, heh… _he thought.

"I'll summon… Exiled Force!" he exclaimed.

He put a card down, and a ragtag band of Warriors appeared. (1,000/1,000)

"By sacrificing Exiled Force, I can destroy one Monster on the field!" exclaimed Numbuh Four. "So goodbye Exiled Force, _and _La Jinn!"

Both Exiled Force and the genie shattered.

"Now, Axe Raider, attack her again!" shouted Four.

Axe Raider raised his axe…

"I suppose you're just too stupid to know about Trap Cards!" shouted Yang. "Activate Magic Cylinder!"

Her facedown card lifted, and two large Cylinders appeared in the air…

"No!" shouted Numbuh Four. "That shoots my attack back at me!"

Energy was sucked out of Axe Raider into one, and then shot out the other, striking Numbuh Four! He tumbled over.

"And I escape without a scratch!" laughed Yang.

**(4: 5,700 Y: 6,100)**

"Crud…" muttered Numbuh Two. "Yang's just taken the lead!"

"It is my move!" exclaimed Yang.

She drew a card.

"I play my Pot of Greed!" she explained. "Which lets me draw two more cards…"

She played the card, and made two draws.

"Now I will summon the mighty Archfiend Soldier!"

She put a card down, and a tall, thin Fiend with horns, claws, and a face that would make even a mother scream appeared. It was armed with a jagged sword. (1,900/1,500)

"Attack his Axe Raider, my Archfiend!" shouted Yang.

Archfiend Soldier lashed forward with his blade, and cut Axe Raider asunder!

**(4: 5,500 Y: 6,100)**

"Well, I think it's safe to assume that Yang plays a Fiend deck," sighed Numbuh Five. "What a surprise…"

Yang waved her hand to signal the end of her turn.

_I've got to do something! _thought Numbuh Four. _If I lose the Ancient Blade, I'll never be able to look the guys in the face again!_

He made a draw.

_This might be risky… _he thought, _but I've got to chance it._

"I'll set a Monster in Defense Mode and end my turn," he stated.

He put a card on his Disk, and a facedown Monster appeared.

"That will be my turn…" he said, nervously.

Yang drew one card.

"Archfiend Soldier!" she shouted. "Attack his facedown Monster!"

The Archfiend charged with his sword…

And a huge barbarian holding a giant shield appeared. (100/2,600)

Archfiend Soldier was thrown back, and landed on his back with a groan.

"Ha!" laughed Numbuh Four, as the Warrior stood up. "Your Fiend just ran smack into my Big Shield Gardna!

"Of course, he has to shift into Attack Mode now, but since you didn't bother to summon anything else, that isn't a problem! And you lose 700 Life Points!"

"Since when is Numbuh Four so good in math?" asked Numbuh Five.

"He isn't…" replied Numbuh Two. "Except when he duels…"

Yang cursed in Japanese.

**(4: 5,500 Y: 5,400)**

"Now it's my move!" exclaimed Numbuh Four.

He looked at the card.

_This might work, _he thought.

"I'll shift Big Shield Gardna back to Defense Mode…" he stated, turning the card.

Gardna crouched in Defense again.

"And I'll summon _this _guy in Attack Mode! Warrior Dai Grepher!"

He put a card down, and the imposing form of Grepher appeared. (1,700/1,600)

"Now I'm placing one card facedown…" he continued.

He placed a card into a slot.

"…and by the way, it's a Trap Card, so you'd better not attack!"

"WHAT?" shouted Yang. "That has to be the most obvious bluff I have ever heard!"

"It's your move…" sighed Numbuh Four.

Yang drew a card.

"Archfiend Soldier, attack Grepher!" she shouted.

The Archfiend raised his sword…

"Too bad, Yang…" chuckled Four. "You thought I was bluffing… Now let's see whose luck is better! Activate Skull Dice!"

The Trap lifted, and a nasty little imp holding a red dice appeared.

"I might stink at math," admitted Four, "but I realize that Archfiend Soldier's Attack Score is 200 points higher than Warrior Dai Grepher's. So if I roll a two or higher, your Fiend will be destroyed!"

The imp tossed the dice…

It rolled…

And it landed on the three!

"Heh, heh," chuckled Numbuh Four. "And even a preschooler can tell you that three is higher than two! Grepher, counter-attack!"

Warrior Dai Grepher swung his sword, and Archfiend Soldier was obliterated!

**(4: 5,500 Y: 5,300)**

"Sister!" shouted Yin.

"I'll be fine!" assured Yang, looking at a card in her hand.

She turned to Numbuh Four.

"Make your move…"

"You won't be fine in a minute!" laughed Numbuh Four, drawing a card. "Warrior Dai Grepher, attack directly!"

Grepher leapt at her with his sword.

"Not so fast!" she shouted, discarding a card.

A swarm of little, furry creatures appeared, blocking Grepher! They burst and threw him back!

"What happened?" asked Snowball.

"She discarded a Kuriboh…" muttered Numbuh Two. "So that attack was blocked… Kuriboh is a very tricky Monster – you can almost never see it coming."

"All right, your move…" muttered Four.

Yang drew.

_Now I can get rid of his Defense… _she thought.

"I set one Monster in Defense Mode and end my turn," she said, putting a card down.

The hidden Monster appeared.

Numbuh Four drew.

"Grepher, attack her mystery Monster!" he ordered.

Grepher attacked with his sword…

And a hooded assassin holding a blade appeared before it was cut down.

"A Night Assailant!" gasped Numbuh Four.

"That's right!" laughed Yang. "So now I get to destroy one of your Monsters! Say goodbye to your Big Shield!"

Big Shield Gardna shattered.

"I'm not finished…" muttered Numbuh Four. "I'll play Swords of Revealing Light!"

He threw a card into a slot, and a cage of Swords crashed down around Yang.

"Now you can't attack me for three of your turns!" exclaimed Four.

"Fine," chuckled Yang. "I'll use them to augment my forces. It's my move!"

She looked at the card.

"I will summon a fiend regiment known as Goblin Elite Attack Force!" she stated.

She put the card down, and four fiendish goblins dressed in armor carrying spears appeared. (2,200/1,500)

"Goblin _Elite _Attack Force?" questioned Numbuh Two. "This must be a new card… Everyone's seen the old Goblin Attack Force, but these guys…"

"Your move…" dared Yang.

Numbuh Four drew.

"I'll play Reinforcement of the Army," he stated.

He took his deck.

"This lets me add any Warrior of four stars or less to my hand."

He got what he wanted, and reshuffled.

He looked at the female Warrior.

_And Numbuh Two said I was dumb for keeping this gal in my deck!_ he thought.

"I'll place a Monster in Defense, and a card facedown," he stated.

He set the cards, and they appeared.

"And I'll turn it over to you."

Yang drew.

"Say goodbye to your facedown Monster!" she laughed. "I play Nobleman of Crossout!"

She plugged a card into a slot, and a knight carrying a sword appeared over the facedown Monster.

"Not so fast!" shouted Four. "I activate Spell Shield Type-8!"

The knight shattered.

"It negates any Magic Card that targets a Monster!"

Yang growled.

"I'll sacrifice my Goblins for the dreaded Dark Ruler Ha Des!" she exclaimed, switching cards.

The Goblins shattered, and the intimidating form of the Lord of the Underworld appeared, dressed in his evil raiment! (2,450/1,600)

"And that's not all!" she continued. "I'll remove Night Assailant, Kuriboh, and La Jinn from play, to summon THIS!"

She placed a card down.

"The wicked Dark Necrofear!"

A sinister form arose. It was an evil looking female Fiend with blue skin, a bald head, and pointed ears, dressed in a metal brassier and kilt with tall boots. Black flames surrounded her. (2,200/2,800)

"Eek!" squeaked Blossom. "I don't like this anymore!"

"Those two fiends are dangerous…" muttered Numbuh Two. "I hope Numbuh Four knows what he's doing…"

"I'll place one card face down and end my turn," said Yang. "Make your move…"

Numbuh Four drew.

"I pass, I can't do anything else…" he said.

Yang drew.

"Then I'll just summon even more Monsters!" she said. "First, I'll bring Archfiend Soldier back with the power of Call of the Haunted!"

Her Trap Card lifted, and Archfiend Soldier crawled out of the ground. (1,900/1,500)

"And now I'll summon my Goblin King!" she cackled.

She placed a card down, and a small goblin dressed in royal clothing seated on a throne arose.

"This creature gains 1,000 Attack and Defense Points for every Fiend on the field except himself!" laughed Yang.

(3,000/3,000)

"And finally, I'll place a card facedown…"

She fit her last card into a slot, and it appeared.

"Your move…"

The Swords or Revealing Light vanished.

"Oh man…" gasped Numbuh Two. "Numbuh Four's really in trouble…"

Numbuh Four slowly drew.

He looked at the card.

_Oh yeah… _he thought. _That's what I'm talkin' about._

"I activate my Trap!" laughed Yang.

The card lifted.

"Gift of the Mystical Elf! This Trap restores my Life Points by 300 for every Monster on the field, and there are six!"

**(4: 5,500 Y: 7,100)**

"Too bad you won't be keeping them," mocked Numbuh Four. "I'll have you know, Yang, that the card I just drew is one I saved up my allowance to get for six weeks!"

"Will you just move?" sneered Yang.

"Sure!" laughed Numbuh Four. "But before I play it, I'll flip my facedown Monster into Attack Mode. Reveal… Shadow Tamer!"

His card flipped, and a woman in an exotic costume and makeup appeared, holding a whip. (800/700)

"Shadow Tamer?" gasped Yang. "She…"

"…allows me to brainwash one Fiend for one turn and turn it to my side," chuckled Numbuh Four. "And I choose your Dark Necrofear!"

Shadow Tamer lashed her whip, and Dark Necrofear floated over to Four's side.

"Now get ready!" shouted Four, holding his card aloft. "I sacrifice Dark Necrofear... AND Shadow Tamer... AND Warrior Dai Grepher…"

The three Monsters vanished…

"To summon **_Gilford the Lightning!_**"

A bolt of lightning struck, and a powerful Warrior in golden armor and a helmet with a sword slung to his back appeared. (2,800/1,400)

"Gilford the Lightning?" gasped Numbuh Five in surprise. "When the heck did he put that guy in his deck?

"What does this 'Gilford the Lightning' do?" asked Snowball.

"Well," muttered Numbuh Five. "Since he sacrificed three Monsters to summon him instead of two… Well, you'll see…"

Gilford slowly drew his sword…

And lightning struck Yang's side of the field! Archfiend Soldier, Goblin King, and Dark Ruler Ha Des screamed and were vaporized!

"My army…" gasped Yang.

"Gilford, attack her Life Points directly!" shouted Four.

Yang screamed as Gilford flew forward and smote her with his sword, sending her toppling!

The other operatives cheered!

**(4: 5,500 Y: 4,300)**

"Sister!" urged Yin. "Why not we stop this and handle the matter some other way!"

"NO!" shouted Yang. "I still have my honor!"

She drew one card.

_Perfect… _she thought.

"I revive my Goblin Elite Attack Force using the magic of Monster Reborn!" she announced, playing a card.

The squad of Goblins reappeared. (2,200/1,500)

"And now…" she continued, placing the last card in her hand down, "I sacrifice them to summon a beast known as Great Maju Garzett!"

The Goblins shattered, and a huge, hulking Fiend with a hairy hide, horns, and armor emerged.

"This creature's Attack Score is _twice _the Attack Score of the Monster I sacrificed to summon it!" laughed Yang. "That's more than enough to take down your Warrior!"

(4,400/0)

"Maju, kill his Gilford!" she shouted.

Great Maju Garzett shot forth a blast of hellfire, eradicating Gilford the Lightning!

_No… _thought Numbuh Four. _What do I do?_

**(4: 3,900 Y: 4,300)**

"It's my move now!" cursed Numbuh Four.

He made a draw.

"And I'll place this Monster in Defense Mode!" he stated.

A hidden Monster appeared.

"Make your move…"

Yang drew…

"Maju," she yelled. "Wipe out his Monster!"

Maju shot forth his flames…

And an elven Warrior appeared on the card, parrying the blast! (1,400/1,200)

"What?" gasped Yang. "How could he survive?"

"My Obnoxious Celtic Guardian can resist attacks from Monsters of 1,900 Attack Points or more," explained Four, "and your Fiend has over four-thousand!"

"Fine, make your move…" snarled Yang.

Numbuh Four drew.

"I play Graceful Charity!" he said, plugging a card into a slot.

A beautiful angel appeared in the air, and her feathers fell on Numbuh Four's Disk.

"This let's me draw three cards…"

He drew three.

"…so long as I discard two."

He looked at the cards in his hand.

_Yes! _he thought. _Now I have a chance!_

He discarded two cards.

"I'll first bring Gilford back with my own Monster Reborn!" he exclaimed.

He plugged the card into a slot, and Gilford reappeared.

"What?" laughed Yang. "In case you've forgotten, Maju already _toasted _that guy!"

"True…" admitted Numbuh Four. "But now I'm playing Polymerization…"

He fit another card into a slot.

"…to fuse him together with my UFOroid!"

A funny-looking UFO with eyes appeared on the field. (1,200/1,200)

It slowly merged with Gilford.

"UFOroid can fuse with any Warrior to form UFOroid Fighter, and his Attack Score is the combined Attack Score of the two fused Monsters!"

A glorious winged Warrior emerged, riding a flying platform! (4000/2,600)

"Nice try," laughed Yang. "But my Fiend is still stronger!"

"Oh really?" laughed Numbuh Four. "Well, I'll shift Obnoxious Celtic Guardian into Attack Mode…"

The elven Warrior stood up.

"And then I'll play Rush Recklessly, increasing the power of UFOroid Fighter by 700 for one attack!"

Yang gasped as he played the card.

"UFOroid Fighter, destroy Great Maju Garzett with flying rush!" ordered Numbuh Four.

The merged Monster swooped down on the fiend, obliterating it!

"Obnoxious Celtic Guardian, attack directly!"

The elf Warrior closed in on Yang, and struck her with his sword. She screamed.

The operatives cheered again.

**(4: 3,900 Y: 2,600)**

Yang gasped for breath…

She slowly drew one card… She looked at it…

"I play a Monster in Defense Mode… And end my turn…" she stated.

Numbuh Four slowly looked at the card.

_That Monster is likely another Night Assailant… _he thought. _And all I have in my hand is this useless Double Snare card. This next draw better be good. _

He drew.

He smiled.

"I play the Magic Card… Double Spell!" he shouted, playing it.

"You know what they say about the past… It comes back to haunt you! I simply have to discard one other Magic Card…"

He discarded Double Snare.

"…and now I can duplicate one Magic Card in your Graveyard. And I choose Nobleman of Crossout!"

Yang gasped as the knight appeared, and skewered her facedown Night Assailant, destroying it!

"Now, UFOroid Fighter, finish her off!" shouted Numbuh Four.

UFOroid Fighter flew into Yang, throwing her back ten feet! She fell flat on her back and moaned.

**(4: 3,900 Y: 0)**

"Sister… no…" muttered Yin, going up to her.

"She'll be fine," laughed Numbuh Four. "But as far as this duel is concerned, she loses!"

Yin seethed with anger.

"I'm afraid the only losers will be you brats!" he shouted. "Since your mecha's driver was foolish enough to leave it, ours will simply fry you!"

He hit a button on the remote he was carrying…

But the huge mechanical dragon didn't fire.

Numbuh Three giggled. She hit a button on her watch, and Hippy-Hop lowered his paw.

"What?" gasped Yin. "Why didn't it fire?"

"That would be me!" laughed Bubbles, holding aloft a pair of bolt cutters.

Numbuh One spoke up.

"I knew you'd try to renege on the deal, Interesting Twins," he said, smugly, "so I asked Numbuh 218, our best saboteur, to sabotage your mecha while the duel was going on. Your beast is now useless!"

Numbuh Three strapped herself into Hippy-Hop's cockpit, and he growled.

"So unless you two _losers _would like to deal with a _real _monster, I suggest you beat it – now!"

Yin and Yang stared at them…

And then they took off running.

Numbuh One sighed.

He walked up to the shrine, and picked up the Ancient Blade.

"Two down…" he said. "One to go…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Meanwhile in the Sector V Treehouse.

A team of medics were seeing to the Minerva sisters…

And slowly, their fingers started to move…

Their eyes quivered…

They mumbled in their sleep…

**0**

**0**

**0**

_**Coming up next:**_

_**The Dogs of War Return! Also, the Minerva Sisters wake up! And Charon tries to get the two recovered artifacts. A great battle ensues, which will be one of the most intense! (Wait until you see the Dogs' third mecha!) Don't miss "Warzone", coming soon!**_


	14. Warzone

_I apologive to everyone for not getting this up earlier._

_So, without further ado..._

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**CHAPTER FOURTEEN**

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**Warzone**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**0 0 0 0 0**

"So, let me get this straight…" sighed Charon to the two figures who were kneeling in front of him.

"You accepted Wallabee's challenge like an idiot, and failed to even keep an eye on the mecha?"

There was a long pause.

"I didn't think he could beat me…" muttered Yang.

"You didn't think so…" muttered Charon. "Don't you two know that agreeing to an enemy's terms is a sure way to lose?"

He turned to Cree.

"What should we do with these two?" he asked.

"I say you do just what you did to me after what happened in the Catacombs…" suggested Cree with an evil smile.

Charon rubbed his chin.

"Why not?" he said with a shrug.

He waved his hand, and the Interesting Twins were sealed in ice.

Charon and Cree left the room.

"So now what?" asked Cree. "Now they have the Key AND the Blade."

"Don't worry," growled Charon. "We'll just get them back…

"I'll be in my private chambers for a good hour. I don't want anyone interrupting me for any reason at all!

"And if Plan A fails, I even have a Plan B…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

It was ten o'clock Sunday morning when the airship flew into the Sector V Treehouse. The crew had slept on the ship, while it was on autopilot. Still weary, they walked in, with Numbuh One clutching the Ancient Blade.

They were met by the young Numbuh 91.6, one of the best medics in Global Command, and part of the team that Numbuh 362 had sent to watch after the Minerva Sisters.

"How are they?" asked Numbuh One.

"Some movement in the hands, some talking in their sleep," she answered, "but not much change."

"Well, keep them warm and safe," replied Numbuh One, as they all went to the main room.

He and Numbuh Five went to a poster on the wall and carefully took it down, revealing a safe. Numbuh One punched in a code, and then Numbuh Five punched in one.

"**Voice access identification," **said a computerized voice.

"Numbuh One, team leader of Sector V," said Numbuh One.

"Numbuh Five, second in command of Sector V," said Numbuh Five in turn.

"**Retina scan,"** said the computer.

They put their eyes to the screen, and a scan went back and forth.

"**Hand print identification,"** it said.

They placed their hands on the indentations.

"**Confirmed,"** it said.

The safe opened, revealing a niche where the Ancient Key was already being kept.

Numbuh One sighed and placed the Blade in with it.

"Can't we get a safe that's less fussy?" asked Numbuh Four.

"We've got to keep these things in a secure spot," said Numbuh One, closing it. "Don't forget, if Charon gets them…"

"Hey Numbuh One!" said Bubbles. "We got a message!"

She pointed to the computer.

They all went up to the computer.

Numbuh One clicked open.

To their surprise, Wolf's face appeared on it!

"Hey guys!" he said with a smile. "Me and the rest of the Dogs finished that big job we had to take care of, so we figured we'd come help with the problem with Charon. We'll be by later today, around two-ish. And please, don't make anything fancy – we're not moochers."

"Hear that?" exclaimed Numbuh Five. "The Dogs of War are coming back!"

"Good," sighed Blossom. "We might need them. Things might get a lot hairier soon."

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

In his conjuring chamber, Charon started to chant…

"_Great powers of the Dark World, hear me… Bring forth your warrior born of the earth and tempered in fire… Cast his shadow over the land so he may serve me and bring terror to my foes…_

"_Talos the Iron Titan, I call you forth!"_

From a secret lair, a burst of magical energy shot skyward, and storm clouds started to spread…

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

"Looks like we're in for some rain…" muttered Numbuh Two, looking out the window.

Numbuh 91.6 rushed into the room!

"Everyone, come quick!" she shouted.

"What is it?" gasped Numbuh One.

"Just come quick!" she repeated.

The operatives all ran into the sick bay where the Minerva Sisters were sleeping…

…but they weren't any more.

They were sitting up in their beds, and rubbing their eyes!

"Hey…" muttered the one in the center. "What do you gotta do to get something to eat here?"

"You're awake!" shouted Snowball, in delight.

"Yeah, we're awake," mumbled another one. "And we're starved!"

"You heard her!" ordered Numbuh One. "Bring some food!"

"Uh, I don't want to be a bother," said the third, "but I'm allergic to anything with peanuts in it…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

They cleaned out their kitchen and pantry – and the two teams had never seen three kids so anxious to eat.

"Man…" gasped Numbuh Four. "They can put more away than Numbuh Two did at last year's cheese festival!"

"What do you expect, genius?" scolded Numbuh Five. "They haven't had anything solid to eat for a year!"

The three of them stopped and looked up.

"A year?" said one of them in fright. "We've been trapped for that long?"

Another started to cry.

"Oh, mum and dad must be worried sick!" she sobbed.

"Don't worry…" said Numbuh Five, trying to calm her, "you can go back home as soon as you want…"

"Here!" said Blossom, handing her a phone. "Call to tell them you're okay…"

She took the phone and dialed.

"It's ringing…" she said nervously, as her sisters watched.

"Oh," she moaned, "I got the answering machine!"

She paused.

"Mom?" she said into it. "It's Bambi! Randy, Candy, and I are alive, and we'll be home soon! Please stop worrying! We're with some friends we can be reached at… uhm…"

She paused.

Numbuh One quickly wrote something down on a pad.

"Uhm, 718 – 555 – 2939!" she said, reading it. "See you soon!"

She sighed and hung up.

"By the way," said Buttercup, "which one of you is Randy?"

One of the other girls raised her hand.

"This is what helped us find you three," she said, handing her the diary.

"Gee," muttered Randy, taking it. "I hope none of you guys read it and learned the hard way not to do that…"

"Uhm no…" stuttered Numbuh Four, who had considered it. "Why?"

"I put a curse on it to punish anyone who reads my diary…" answered Randy.

Numbuh Four stared at her in fear.

"Uh, not that I would, but what would have happened if I had?" he asked.

"The diary is connected to an extradimensional prison cell," she answered. "A small, cold, dark place. Anyone who reads it without permission gets locked up for forty-eight hours."

"She could have told us that…" growled one of her sisters.

"It served you right for snooping, Candy!" scolded Randy.

The operatives were now somewhat afraid of these three girls…

"We have any more of this cold chicken?" asked Bambi.

"I'll check…" said Snowball, nervously, heading back to the kitchen.

"So," said Numbuh One. "We know this is sudden, but what information can you girls give us about Charon?"

The three triplets looked at each other.

Randy spoke up.

"We had fought him numerous times," she answered, "and in the beginning, he was one of the most incompetent sorcerers we had ever met…

"But one year ago, he did something… horrible…

"He goaded us into another battle, and we discovered that his power had increased a hundredfold. Our magic was no match for his…

"He trapped us, and told us plainly that we would suffer nightmares forever to pay for all the humiliation, but he couldn't resist rubbing our noses in it by telling us how he had gotten his power…"

She gulped.

"He had gone to a place… the Dark World…"

"Dark Word?" asked Numbuh Five. "What is that?"

"It's a mystery…" muttered Bambi. "A place of the most blasphemous magic. It's said to be ruled by a… a being. No one knows anything about him. Or her, to be totally fair. But it is said that if a sorcerer just sees him, his magic is corrupted, and his heart is closed by darkness forever.

"Charon did more. He somehow bargained with the Lord of Dark World to gain power. He must have paid some price, or promised a future one.

"But now, his power is terrible, and his heart is black with evil. It was a miracle that you were able to save us…

"Thank you…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

"This is all creepy!" moaned Numbuh Three, as they walked to the hanger.

"Yeah," sighed Numbuh Two. "Who are we up against anyway, Lord Voldemort?"

"Calm down, everyone," said Numbuh One. "This Treehouse is about to get even more guests, our larder has just been cleaned out, and we don't want our allies getting more nervous."

They watched as the Dogs of War's aircraft made a landing in the hanger.

Wolf came out, this time dressed in his full battle gear – brown armor with a helmet with the insignia of a howling wolf. A double-edged claymore was strapped to his back.

Jackal, Fox, Coyote, and Dingo were close behind him.

"Hi guys," he said, greeting them. "What's new?"

"Plenty," exclaimed Numbuh One. "I hope you have a while…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

A lengthy explanation later…

Wolf rubbed his chin.

"Strange…" he thought. "You know, I swear I remember reading somewhere about something called a Wvuxic… or something with a similar name…"

"Can you identify it?" asked Numbuh One, excitedly.

"Not off the top of my head," responded Wolf, "but maybe I can try to look it up…"

"By the way, we're glad you came for another reason," mentioned Numbuh Two. "We have a present for you guys…"

He motioned for them to follow him.

"A present?" laughed Jackal. "Is it bigger than a breadbox?"

"Oh yeah!" answered Numbuh Two.

He opened the door to a huge docking bay. Hippy-Hop was parked there, and next to him was the Interesting Twins' dragon-mecha.

"We _were _just going to cut this big thing apart and use it for the parts," said Numbuh One, "but you guys are so good with mechas, we figure you could salvage the parts better. Numbuh 218 had to sabotage its inner workings pretty seriously for us to get the better of its owners, but there still might be some stuff in it worth looking at."

Wolf looked at Fox.

"Fox, you think you can figure this thing out?" he asked.

Fox grinned.

"Does Popeye like spinach?" he replied. "Just let me get my tools…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

An hour later.

Dark clouds had gathered outside.

"I don't get it!" quizzed Buttercup. "The weather report said it would be sunny!"

Wolf and Jackal studied a portable device.

"Odd…" said Jackal. "Very strange readings…"

Fox came into the room, his face and clothes covered with axle grease.

"Well, that dragon has a few weapon systems that we could incorporate," he said. "Once I analyze the chemical that fuels the breath weapon, I might be able to make my own version of it – that would give our three dogs some extra kick."

Then Candy, Randy, and Bambi entered the room. They were now dressed in pretty frilled dresses with midriffs – Candy wore pink, Randy orange, and Bambi purple.

"Who are these little tykes?" chuckled Wolf.

"Uhm, Wolf…" muttered Numbuh One. "They're three of Charon's victims who we just rescued from a dimensional prison, and they're powerful sorceresses."

"Don't worry," laughed Bambi. "We won't turn him into a frog for calling us tykes! Now if he called us brats…"

"Bambi…" muttered Candy.

"Oh right…" answered Bambi. "Kids Next Door, we have to warn you, our powers are coming back, and we're picking up some bad vibes. A dimensional rift opened about a half an hour ago, and something evil came through it – something powerful."

"Do you have any idea what?" asked Numbuh One.

"Well…" said Randy.

And then the mainframe screen started to spark…

"What?" said Numbuh One. "That thing wasn't even on!"

Then Charon's face appeared on the screen!

"Charon!" gasped everyone in the room.

"Well," chuckled Charon. "Candy, Randy, and Bambi. So, you finally got free of the Dark Void. Well, as soon as I get my hands on you, you're going right back!"

"In your dreams, do-do head!" snapped Bambi.

"Relax," sighed Charon. "My interests are with the Kids Next Door right now."

"What do you want, Charon?" sneered Buttercup. "If you want another butt-whoopin', we'll give you one!"

"Well, I'm calling to discuss the terms of your surrendering the Ancient Key and the Ancient Blade to me," stated Charon.

"Do the words 'not in a million years' mean anything to you?" asked Numbuh Five.

Charon chuckled.

"Well then," he said, "I'll simply have to have Talos stomp your Treehouse flat and take them!"

The screen switched views, and an intimidating form was shown in the mountains outside of town…

It was an iron statue, about eighty feet tall! It resembled a Spartan in armor, carrying a sword!

"Omigosh!" shouted Randy. "That's Talos the Iron Titan!"

"Who?" asked Numbuh One, getting scared.

"He's bad news…" shuddered Bambi. "He's a statue now, but soon he'll turn to flesh and destroy everything in his path!"

Charon's face reappeared.

"You have one hour, Kids Next Door," he stated. "Surrender the two artifacts, or I'll have Talos reduce your Treehouse to kindling!

"And maybe the whole town as well… there are innocent kids out there, you know…"

The image left the screen.

"We have no choice…" muttered Numbuh One. "We haven't got a weapon in our arsenal that can take down something that big…"

Blossom shivered.

"Buttercup could barely take down one of his man-sized demons!" she shuddered. "How can we stand up to that?"

Wolf turned to them.

"We might have something that could stand up to Talos," he said.

He turned to Coyote.

"How long before Big C can get to those mountains?"

"About half an hour," answered Coyote.

"Guys," he said, "do it…"

Fox, Dingo, and Coyote opened their watches.

"Cry havoc and let slip the Dogs of War!" they shouted.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

In a vast junkyard some miles to the west, there was an underground cavern…

Its sole occupant awoke, and six glowing eyes lit up the place…

A hatch opened to the sky, and a platform slowly elevated him to the surface…

Three fierce howls echoed throughout the land as the great mecha charged towards the town that housed Sector V…

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

The Powerpuff Girls stayed behind with the Minerva Sisters to watch from a distance. In the meantime, the members of Sector V and the Dogs of War rolled towards the dormant form of Talos in one of their most heavy-duty vehicles…

**(Kids Next Door S.T.A.N.K.: Super Transforming Armored Neighborhood Cruiser)**

It rolled up to the Iron Titan and the ten operatives emerged.

"Boy, you're a big guy, aren't you?" said Numbuh One.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Meanwhile, Charon was watching.

"Tsk," he said. "Some folks just don't know when they're outgunned."

He waved his arm.

"Awake," he said, "and crush them!"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Suddenly, a dark aura surrounded Talos! His iron skin turned flesh-colored, and his armor turned golden!

He roared, and raised his sword.

"Uh oh…" squeaked Numbuh Three.

A beam of energy shot forth from the Iron Titan's eyes, and the S.T.A.N.K. was blown to pieces!

"Wolf!" screamed Numbuh One. "How soon before your secret weapon gets here?"

They started to flee from the huge demon.

"About five minutes!" answered Wolf.

"It'd better!" shouted Numbuh Two. "Or we're gonna be pancakes!"

Talos bore down on them, and tried to stomp them flat. Fortunately they were much faster than he was.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Charon chuckled.

"Run you fools," he laughed. "You can't run forever. And pretty soon, those two artifacts will be in my possession."

"Uh, boss…" muttered Cree who was watching a console.

"What?" asked Charon.

"I'm picking up something on the screen – something… something big is coming from the other direction."

"Eh, they must have called in reinforcements," sighed Charon. "No matter. Nothing they have can stand up to Talos…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

The five child operatives and the five teenage ones turned to face the huge behemoth…

They all lifted a set of weapons, handy devices made from car batteries.

"Let him have it!" shouted Numbuh One.

Ten blasts of energy shot up and hit the giant in the chest!

Talos merely laughed a haunting laugh.

"We didn't even nick him…" gasped Numbuh Two.

The Titan's eyes started to glow…

"Take cover!" shouted Wolf.

The energy beams shot forward, and the operatives scattered as the blast struck the ground!

"Man…" said Numbuh Five. "If that thing makes it to town, we're going to have a lot of dead kids, teenagers, AND adults on our hands! Charon is more evil than we thought!"

Then the ground started rumbling…

"Don't worry, Numbuh Five…" said Fox, "the big guy is here, right on cue…"

They all turned…

Charging across the landscape was a huge mechanical beast, seventy five feet tall, and one hundred feet long. He was gunmetal gray, and shaped like a huge hound… But most remarkably, he had _three _heads!

The mechas three heads howled in excitement…

"There's my baby…" said Fox. "Sector V… meet C.E.R.E.B.R.U.S.!"

**(Kids Next Door: C.E.R.E.B.R.U.S.: Colossally Enormous Robot Eagerly Backs Rallying Underage Soldiers)**

Talos drew back in surprise; Dingo, Fox, and Coyote ran up to the mechanical monster as he lowered his three heads, and hatches opened on them…

With ease, the three Dogs of War threw themselves into the three cockpits: Dingo in the left head, Coyote in the center, and Fox in the right.

Inside, three seatbelts strapped into place, and helmets lowered over the drivers. Control panels lit up.

"Dingo here," stated Dingo. "Portunit online."

"This is Coyote," answered Coyote. "Central unit online."

"Fox here," said Fox. "Starboard unit online. Let's show this prehistoric jerk what modern age weapons can do!"

C.E.R.E.B.R.U.S. howled, and turned to face Talos.

"I'm impressed, Wolf," said Numbuh One, "but just how powerful is that thing?"

"C.E.R.E.B.R.U.S. was built for one purpose only, Nigel," answered Wolf. "To fight. He's not very subtle, but he works. He's so powerful that he needs two dark matter cores to power him. And also, each of his three heads contains a separate AI, each one controlling a different facet of his operations. That's why it needs three drivers – Dingo, Coyote, and Fox are each the best for what each head is in charge of.

"Let's hope it's enough…" muttered Numbuh Five.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

"This could be a problem, boss…" muttered Cree.

"Ah, that machine could never hold a candle to the _real _Cerebrus," muttered Charon. "I should know…"

He rubbed his chin.

"But just in case, prepare to enact Plan B."

"Gotcha," she replied.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

"Activating… shield!" exclaimed Coyote.

He entered a code, and the whole mecha was surrounded by a dome of energy.

The Iron Titan wasted no time. He charged, and tried to strike the mecha with his sword.

The great beast quivered a little.

"We're fine…" assured Fox. "Shield is still at 95 percent."

"Then let's see how tough _his _shields are!" stated Dingo. "Ready jaw cannons!"

C.E.R.E.B.R.U.S. opened his two side mouths…

"FIRE!" shouted Dingo.

Powerful laser beams shot forward, striking the Iron Titan in the chest!

Talos grunted, but that clearly didn't hurt him much.

"Watch out," warned Coyote. "This guy is trying something new… The heat around him just increased to 200 degrees Fahrenheit… Uh make that 300…"

Flames erupted around Talos!

"How much now?" asked Fox, getting nervous.

"I don't know, this heat counter only goes up to 1,000 degrees!" gasped Coyote. "All power to frontal shields!"

"BRACE YOURSELVES!" shouted Fox.

Talos let loose a wave of fire, and the mecha held on tight!

"That was intense," muttered Fox. "Shields are down to 85 percent, guys."

"Okay…" said Dingo. "It's safe to say that this guy can't be harmed by fire…"

"Any suggestions?" asked Coyote.

"Yeah," said Dingo, inputting a code. "We blast the crud out of him!"

A series of laser guns (there were thirty in all) emerged from all over the mecha.

"**Laser rifles armed,"** said a computerized voice.

"FIRE!" shouted Dingo.

A barrage of laser fire erupted, pelting the Titan! The demon howled and staggered back.

Talos looked at them, and his eyes glowed.

"Swell…" muttered Fox. "I think we made him mad…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Monitoring the battle were Sector P and the Minerva Sisters.

"The Dogs are holding there own," said Blossom, "but their mecha and Talos seems pretty equally matched…"

Randy sighed.

"C.E.R.E.B.R.U.S. is a creature of science," she said, "while Talos is a creature of magic. The two forces don't interact well…"

"The best way to fight magical creatures is if you have magic of your own on your side," muttered Candy.

"Well what do _we_ have, ballet steps?" said Bambi sarcastically.

She gestured, and a silver baton appeared in her hand.

"What do you say, sibs?" she asked. "It's been a while, but we owe those guys!"

Randy thought.

"You think Bob, Joe, and Frank would be up to it after a whole year?" she asked.

"One way to find out…" said Candy.

They headed for the hanger.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Talos swung his sword twice at C.E.R.E.B.R.U.S.! The mech howled!

"Shields down to 70 percent!" shouted Fox.

"Don't you have any good news?" asked Coyote.

"Don't worry, guys," said Dingo. "I'm trying something new…"

He typed in a code.

Two mortar launchers emerged on the machine's shoulders.

"FIRE ONE!" shouted Dingo.

A huge shell burst out, and struck Talos in the chest! He staggered back.

"FIRE TWO!" he shouted.

Another shell burst out, and struck the Titan again! He fell over.

Talos struggled to get up… and his breastplate crumbled into junk.

"Great!" shouted Coyote. "We busted his armor!"

"Let's hope his flesh isn't as hard!" exclaimed Fox.

Talos raised his sword, and it glowed with blue flames…

"Uh oh guys…" muttered Coyote. "He's trying a new trick…"

Then Talos hurled the sword forward, striking the mecha in the front! A shockwave thundered throughout the whole craft, and the three pilots screamed!

They pulled themselves up.

"Damage report?" gasped Coyote.

"That was a big hit!" gulped Fox. "Shields are down to 50 percent! Let's hope he doesn't do that again real soon!"

"Uh, guys?" said Coyote. "I'm picking up three small flying objects coming from the rear…"

"More of Charon's goons?" asked Dingo.

"No, it's…" started Coyote.

He paused.

"Well, see for yourself…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Outside, Sector V, along with Wolf and Jackal, were surprised to see the backup they were getting…

The three Minerva Sisters were flying onto the battlefield, and they were mounted.

Their mounts were creatures that all of the operatives present recognized, but all were too old to believe truly existed.

They looked like horses at first glance, but had coats that no true horse did. Candy's had a pink coat and mane, Randy's was orange, and Bambi's was purple…

Most remarkably, they had glorious feathered wings, and each had a long spiral horn growing from the center of their foreheads.

They all gasped.

"Unicorns!" squeaked Numbuh Three. "Real ones!"

"Eh, figures…" muttered Numbuh Four. "So what are they going to do, ask that guy nicely to stop?"

Candy swooped in over Talos and produced a baton…

Lightning bolts shot from it, striking the Iron Titan! He cringed.

"Hand on just a second…" muttered Numbuh Four.

Randy swooped in and shot her own volley of bolts! Bambi repeated the trick!

Burn marks started to appear over Talos. He swung his sword at the three flyers, but they were too agile.

The three sisters flew into a triangle pattern, and held their batons towards each other.

"Falling stars!" they shouted.

The sky above turned to twilight, and a shower of sparkling orbs fell upon the giant! He moaned…

Dingo, Fox, and Coyote heard Randy's telepathic voice in their heads…

"Dogs of War!" she shouted. "We've weakened him, but he'll regain his strength soon! You have to hit him with everything you've got!"

"You heard her!" shouted Coyote. "Let's give this guy Hell's Howl!"

Coyote took a microphone, and his voice echoed outside the mecha.

"Everyone!" he shouted. "Take cover!"

"Ready guys?" he asked his two brothers.

"Ready…" they responded.

They all typed in a code, and a screen came up in each of their cockpits.

"**Enter verbal passcode," **said a voice in each cockpit.

"Storming…" started Dingo.

"…Heaven's…" continued Coyote.

"…Gates!" finished Fox.

C.E.R.E.B.R.U.S.'s eyes glowed blood red…

The laser guns and mortar launchers reappeared. Six artillery guns emerged on its back. A triple-barreled shock cannon emerged on its underside. And two missile launchers emerged on the sides of the unit, while another emerged on the far rear of the mecha's back.

C.E.R.E.B.R.U.S. glowed…

And in a burst of fury, all its weapons fired, sending a barrage of lasers, shells, and missiles at Talos the Iron Titan!

The demon screamed, and then burst in an explosion of flame!

Cheers came from the ground, and the three young sorceresses threw up their arms…

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

"Hmmm…" said Charon.

He watched his screen.

"Unfortunate, but maybe it's better this way… brute force is so… brutal.

"Tonight, Sector V will think they're safe in their beds, but Cree will have other plans…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

An hour after the battle, everyone was back in the Treehouse. The three sisters were stroking Bob, Joe, and Frank (those were what they had named the unicorns), while the others looked on in wonder.

"Where did you find them?" asked Numbuh Three, in wonder.

"The forests outside Yorkshire in England," answered Candy. "Unicorns are guardians of the forests… but if a young maiden is pure of heart, they'll occasionally let themselves be tamed and ridden as a mount. We were lucky enough to find three of them."

"And we missed you so much!" said Randy, snuggling one. "Didn't we Joe?"

The unicorn neighed.

"We'd really love to stay," said Bambi, "but we have to get back to mum and dad and explain all this. We owe you guys a lot for saving our lives… We will repay you, we promise…"

"Don't be a stranger!" said Numbuh Five, as the three of them mounted the steeds and started to fly out of the hanger.

Numbuh One turned to his team, Sector P, and the Dogs of War.

"Well," he said. "Our kitchen took a hit when we had to feed them, so we'd better take a vote…

"Pizza or Chinese?"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Even though tomorrow was Monday, they'd all been through a lot, so everyone decided to stay together that night. The Treehouse didn't have nine guest rooms, so the team made due, doubling up and making makeshift beds.

Eventually, night fell, and the three groups of allies fell into slumber.

Numbuh One was the last one to turn in. He typed in a code on a panel on the wall that he always hit at this time.

"**Night security system on," **said the computer.

As he went to his room, he failed to see a small creature fly into the room…

It looked like a tiny eyeball with wings.

It landed on the same panel, and a code typed in by itself.

"**Night security system deactivated," **said the computer.

**0**

**0**

**0**

_**What dangers or dark monsters await our heroes in the night? What is Charon's Plan B? Coming up next, Charon enacts a new scheme to get the Key and Tome, and the time for brute force is going to be replaced by something more diplomatic. **_

_**The Delightful Children will show up as well, but maybe not in the way you expect. And so will another memorable KND villain. Don't miss a chapter I call "P.O.W.s", coming soon.**_


	15. POWs

_Sorry it took so long to get this up, but I have a new job, and writing takes a lot out of me lately. _

_Anyway, enjoy the next chapter..._

**0 0 0 0 0**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**CHAPTER FIFTEEN**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**P.O.W.s**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**0 0 0 0 0**

Midnight.

As the members of Sector V, Sector P, and the Dogs of War slept, a shadowy figure leapt onto a branch outside the main entrance.

She picked up a cell phone, and hit a button.

"Cree to home base," she sighed, glumly. "I'm here."

"Why so down, Cree?" asked Charon's voice. "I thought you'd like this mission."

"Yeah, well…" muttered Cree. "I feel like a home intruder… I'm a warrior, boss, and I'd rather confront them head-on. Taking them out of their beds seems a little… unfair."

Charon chuckled.

"So, you'd rather go in there with guns blazing and take on fourteen enemies?" he asked. "Cree, I'm not going to save you from having your brain wiped a second time! Now do as you're told…"

"Fine…" sighed Cree, turning it off.

She took a large, purple gemstone out of her pocket.

Then she went up to the main doors and started to pick the lock.

_If Charon's little creep did what it was supposed to do, _she thought, _I should get out of here without setting off their alarm… Otherwise, this is going to be a really short mission…_

The door slid open.

_Okay, _she thought, sneaking in. _Charon said that they likely doubled up to make room for everyone else… I can't take everyone, so…_

_Maybe I'll check Abby's room first…_

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

She knew where Numbuh Five's room was – it had been _her _room when she was leader of Sector V.

She inched the door open, and to her disappointment, her sister wasn't there. The three Powerpuff Girls were in the bed, while Snowball was curled up next to it like a… well, like a cat.

Cree frowned. She would have loved to attack and get her revenge for the thrashings they had given her over the past couple of weeks… But if she blew this job, Charon would get mad… And she didn't feel like spending another day frozen in ice.

As she turned she heard a voice:

"Hey, get back here!"

She spun with a start.

"Take that, Mojo!" grunted Buttercup, swinging her fists.

_Doesn't this kid ever calm down? _she thought, closing the door.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

She opened the door to Numbuh Four's room, and this time she had better luck. Numbuh Two was sharing the same bed with his teammate, which was very easy to do, seeing as Numbuh Four's bed was the size of a wrestling mat. (Okay, maybe it _was _a wrestling mat – you couldn't be a member of the Kids Next Door without being slightly eccentric.)

Cree walked up to the mat. Numbuh Four was talking in his sleep.

"Sacrifice… Marauding Captain, Axe Raider, and Warrior Dai Grepher to summon Gilford the Lightning…" he muttered.

Cree sighed.

She held up the gemstone… A purple glow illuminated the room.

After a few seconds, she was the only one in the room.

Apparently.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Cree opened the door to Numbuh Three's room.

_Man… _she thought. _I never had this many toys when I was a kid. Is Kuki this insecure?_

Those thoughts vanished when she saw who was on the bed…

Numbuh Three was there, clutching one of her ever-present Rainbow Monkeys. And so was her sister.

Cree started to walk forward.

A loud squeak sounded. Cree looked down. She had stepped on one of the toys.

Numbuh Five tossed in her sleep. Her dreams turned ugly…

An idea came to Cree. She raised her arm and her wrist laser activated.

_I can't give up an opportunity like this, _she thought. _She's asleep and she can't fight back!_

_I'll just tell Charon that Five and Three caught me in the act and I had to do away with them… It's too bad for Three, but hey, she should have chosen her friends better…_

She aimed…

Her hand quivered…

She paused. She lowered the weapon.

_Yeah, right, _she told herself. _Like Charon would believe me…_

She was lying to herself, but she'd deal with that later.

She went up to the bed and held the gemstone up. It glowed again…

After a few seconds, Five and Three were gone.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

_Just need the big cheese himself, _thought Cree, making her way to Numbuh One's room.

She opened the door, and saw the Sector V leader asleep. She was a little surprised – she had never seen him without those sunglasses.

She went up to the bed. She noticed a book next to his pillow.

It was _Sun Tzu's The Art of War. _

_Interesting hobby you have there, Nigel, _she thought.

She raised the gemstone again, and the glow lit up the room again.

Before she left, she picked up his sunglasses from his dresser.

_Might as well take these so I can give them to him when he wakes up, _she thought. _Facing Numbuh One without his shades would be… wrong._

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

It was one AM when she crept back out of the Treehouse.

She pulled out her cellphone and the gem.

"Cree here," she said. "I've got a royal flush. Be back in fifteen."

She entered a command on her armor, and a shimmering portal opened.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

At four AM the next morning, the other residents of the Treehouse woke up, mainly because the alarms rang. Both the Girls and the Dogs had a bit of a flight before they needed to show up at school.

Jackal was the first one to notice the absences.

"Hey guys?" he asked. "Where are the hosts? I figured they'd be up first."

Wolf started to check for notes.

"Maybe they had an emergency mission to go to," he mused. "Those things happen."

"I don't think so…" said Fox.

He went to a panel on the wall.

"Guys," he said. "Security has been shut off…"

Bubbles gasped.

"Could they have been kidnapped?" she squeaked.

"Don't know," answered Fox. "And it would be hard to tell. If security has been off all night, we have no way of seeing what happened."

"We aren't outfoxed yet, Fox," said Wolf, going up to the computer. "Whoever did this turned off the Treehouse security, but not the satellite systems."

He typed in a code.

"The satellites watch every Treehouse nonstop," he continued. "We'll just see what they saw on the outer perimeter last night…

"Computer… Relay satellite scan of Sector V Treehouse. Show any unusual activity…"

A bird's eye view of the Treehouse came up. It switched to infrared…

They saw the figure creeping into the Treehouse.

"Cree…" growled Buttercup. "I know that armor anywhere."

"Taking operatives captive while they sleep in their beds," snarled Coyote. "Charon has a vile mind."

"So now what?" asked Dingo.

"Numbuh One was in charge of this mission," answered Wolf. "And KND protocols say that when multiple teams are in charge of a mission and the leader of the mission is incapacitated, the leader of the team with the most seniority takes over. Since the Dogs of War are no longer Kids Next Door in a public sense…"

Everyone looked at Blossom.

_Good grief… _she thought.

"Okay…" she muttered. "The first thing we have to do is call in sick to school…"

Dingo groaned.

"Nuts," he muttered. "And today the cafeteria was serving sloppy joes!"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

In a dark place…

The five members of Sector V were still asleep.

Numbuh Three shivered and clutched her stuffed toy.

"Numbuh Five, close the window," she mumbled. "It's drafty…"

Numbuh Five slowly got up.

And then woke up with a start!

"Guys!" she shouted.

"Huh?" shouted Numbuh Four. "What?"

They all looked around. They had been lying on the stone floor of a large prison cell, with stone mortared walls and bars for another wall.

"What on earth?" pondered Numbuh One. "We're in some sort of dungeon!"

"Very clever, Kids Next Dumb!" said a quintet of voices from in front of them.

"I know those voices…" said Numbuh Five, as she went to the bars.

She peered in the cell across from theirs, and sure enough, the Delightful Children From Down The Lane were in it.

"So," she chuckled. "Seems whatever grabbed us grabbed you dorks too. Ain't that poetic?"

"No, Longfellow is poetic," they said angrily. "This is downright embarrassing!"

"Who did this to you?" asked Numbuh One.

"We don't know!" they pouted. "We got a call from someone telling us that Cree would meet us in New York City after a Yankees game. We appreciate being treated to a Yankees game, but after we went to the spot where we were supposed to meet her, she shows up and zaps us! Next thing you know, we're here."

"Where's 'here' exactly?" asked Numbuh Four.

"We'll be darned if we know!" they answered.

"Aw, just ignore them," sighed Numbuh One. "We have to figure a way out…"

"Wait!" shouted the Delightful Children. "Maybe if we pool our resources…"

Numbuh Five went up to the bars and gave them a dirty look.

"Numbuh Five remembers when our two groups were in a similar situation," she said softly. "Both of us had been kidnapped by that lunatic Ms. Goodwall. We… 'pooled our resources' as you put it to escape, and then what happened?"

The Delightful Children hung their heads.

"Numbuh Five'll tell you what happened. Instead of showing any gratitude, you turned on us and sided with her!

"Sorry Delightful Dopes, but you know the old saying, fool me once, shame on you, fool me twice, shame on me. We'll find our own way out!"

"Uh, Numbuh Five," asked Numbuh Two. "Exactly how are we going to get out? We're in our pajamas here…"

"Well, maybe I can pick the lock…" she pondered.

She looked at the cell door.

"…uhm, if there was something to pick!"

It was true, there was no keyhole in the door.

Numbuh Three clutched her stuffed toy and sat down.

"What are we gonna do?" she sniffed.

Numbuh One stared at the Rainbow Monkey.

"We'll think of something…" he assured her.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

"Talk about impossible," sighed Buttercup, typing another code into the computer. "They can be anywhere on Earth! And they weren't carrying anything when they were snatched except what they were wearing! There's nothing to track!"

Fox sighed.

"When I was in the Kids Next Door," he said, sitting down, "one of their technology experts invented this microchip that could be implanted at the base of an operative's spine with an easy surgical procedure.

"He claimed it would have two functions – one, trace any operative who had been captured, and three, find any operative, decommissioned or otherwise, who had turned against us. Since they couldn't be removed without surgery, they figured it was a perfect way to stop decommissioned operatives in their tracks – they wouldn't even know that they had them in them.

"But volunteers were scarce. Very few operatives wanted microchips planted in their spines. The thought made them feel… uncomfortable.

"This guy started to push for a rule to make the chips mandatory. But most of his colleges were opposed to the idea… Eventually, he gave up and cancelled the project, believing that it was something that no-one wanted."

Blossom looked at him.

"You were the guy who invented the chip, right?" she asked.

Fox shook his head.

"Nope," he sighed. "I was the one who argued the loudest against making it mandatory. I compared it to 'Big Brother'. You might say I was responsible for killing the whole idea.

"But you know, maybe the guy who invented it… His idea was more useful than everyone thought…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

In the dark dungeon, the five members of Sector V were simply moping.

"Anyone want to play twenty questions?" asked Numbuh Two.

"NO!" shouted the other four members.

"Just trying to lighten everyone up…" he protested.

"Yeah?" asked Numbuh Four. "When you play twenty questions you pick the same historical figure at least once. We never know which of your turns he's going to come up!"

"What's wrong with John F. Kennedy?" asked Numbuh Two.

"Nothing's wrong with him," mumbled Numbuh One. "But it gets a little repetitive…"

"Nigel…" said the Delightful Children.

Numbuh One sighed.

"Nigel…" they pleaded.

"What do you want?" asked Numbuh One, getting angry.

"Last time we checked," they said slowly, "you were the leader of your team… Your second-in-command can't tell you what to do…"

Numbuh One sighed, and walked up to the bars.

"So," he muttered. "You want me to give the order to form an alliance with you goody-goodies. Sorry Delightful Dopes, but I have to agree with Numbuh Five here."

"But Nigel," they said, "think of all the good times we've had together…"

"Good times?" he said with a chuckle. "Oh yes, all the good times… There was the time you infested our Treehouse with giant lice, the time you turned me into an adult, the time you hypnotized every kid at your dumb dance… my team included…"

"Uhm, well…" muttered the Children.

"Not to mention that incredibly embarrassing time you took a picture of my bare tush and threatened to mail it to the school paper! I still can't believe you sank that low!"

The Delightfuls hung their heads.

"What's the matter Defeated Children From Down The Lane?" he asked. "You're always so clever and proud when you have the upper hand… But now, you're in a big mess, and since we _know _you'd double-cross us if we helped you, we aren't going to! The past has come back to haunt you.

"The only order I'm going to give to my team right now is this…"

He turned to the team.

"Team," he said. "From now on, ignore them! Don't even speak to them. That's an order."

"Gladly…" muttered Numbuh Four.

"But how are we going to get out of here?" asked Numbuh Three, hugging her stuffed toy.

"Whoever snatched us didn't do so just to let us stay down here and rot," stated Numbuh One. "Sooner or later an opportunity will open up, and we'll…"

At that point, a door opened.

A figure walked into the hallway, her golden armor shining in the dim light.

"All right brats," said Cree, "time to have a talk with the boss…"

"We're not afraid of you, Cree…" warned Numbuh One.

"Not you, Nigel," stated Cree, "the _other _brats."

She waved her hand, and the door to the Delightful Children's cell opened.

"Yeah?" they scowled. "Well we aren't scared of you either!"

Cree smirked.

She gestured, and flames shot from her palm! The Delightfuls screamed!

"NOW do I scare you?" she asked.

The five of them shivered.

"Go on, move it!" she said, herding them out. "I know how much you five hate physical pain, and unless you want a _lot_ of it…"

The five operatives watched as they were led away.

"Almost feel sorry for them," chuckled Numbuh Four. "Almost…"

"Careful," warned Numbuh Five. "Once her boss is done with them, we're likely next…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

When you're brought up with a man like Father as your legal guardian, you learn not to let scary things scare you much…

But the lounge that Cree brought the Delightful Children into was even scarier than Father's private rooms. More demonic paintings and sculptures adorned the room, with its blood-red wallpaper and torch-lit illumination.

Charon was sitting in an armchair when Cree led them in. A coffee pot was next to him on a table, and he was drinking from a cup.

"Well," he said. "The Delightful Children From Down The Lane… How nice to finally make your acquaintance."

The Delightful Children should be have been upset – that statement was loaded with sarcasm. But right now, all they could think about was how they hadn't had coffee in days…

"What blend of coffee is that?" they asked.

Charon chuckled as he sipped.

"Stygian coffee," he answered. "Made from special beans grown in the depths of the Underworld itself. Stronger than any earthly coffee you've ever likely tasted…"

The Delightfuls got incredibly curious…

"May we try some?" they asked.

Charon laughed out loud.

"Certainly!" he laughed, taking the pot. "Help yourself!"

He tipped it over and poured coffee on the floor…

A sizzling noise came from where it spilled, and a hole burned in the carpet!

The Delightfuls drew back in fear.

"So how do you take yours?" he asked with a chuckle, moving towards the cream and sugar.

"We aren't as thirsty as we thought…" they answered.

Charon poured himself a fresh cup and then picked up the cream.

"Why did you bring us here?" demanded the Delightful Children.

"Oh, a simple reason, really," answered Charon. "I wish to destroy the Kids Next Door, and having you oppose them isn't helping in that cause. Quite the opposite really…"

They glared at him.

"You five fancy yourselves their archenemies," he continued. "You lost that title a long time ago. I haven't seen more incompetent villains since The Babes."

The Delightful Children seethed.

That was an insult that they could _not _forgive. The Babes were a group of teenage girls who had fought the Kids Next Door years ago, and they gave new meaning to the term "flaky airheaded bimbos". They had a lot of high-tech weaponry because some of their parents were rich, but it didn't help. Having powerful weapons and knowing how to use them were two different things. Andeven knowing how to use a weapon and actually hitting an enemy with it are also two different things.

Like most teenagers of their type, they thought they were much smarter than they were, but they weren't. Their MO was similar to most teenage groups the KND opposed – they terrorized a few children for a while, practically expecting Global Command to try to stop them. Far be it from the Kids Next Door to let them down, and when faced with actual resistance, their skill was pathetic. The Kids Next Door had them begging for mercy after the first battle. Global Command actually felt sorry for them, and only incarcerated them for a month, knowing that they'd learn their lesson after seeing what the true nature of villainy was like. And apparently they did – they never bothered any kids again.

"What makes you think you're any better than we are?" shouted the Children.

"Please…" muttered Charon. "Your escapades are so pathetic, they would be humorous, if they weren't so… sad…"

He got off his chair and glared at them.

"Who destroyed the Fountain of Youth?" he asked with a sneer.

The Children gulped as he stared at them.

"Who ruined a sacred well of ice cream because they were dumb enough to put _sprinkles _on it and anger the gods?" he asked angrily. "When something is very good, you _don't _try to make it better!"

The Children hung their heads. They never liked it when that incident was brought up… They so much had wanted to taste that ice cream… But at least Numbuh Five hadn't…

"Oh, just so you know…" chuckled Charon, "the gods favored Numbuh Five over you… She was allowed to taste it."

The Delightfuls gasped!

"As for incompetent," he continued, "your plans are idiotic sometimes. You have no one to blame for your coffee-drilling rig being destroyed but yourselves. None of the Kids Next Door would have been stupid enough to believe that helmet-head over there had turned against you…"

Four of the Children glared at Lenny. That plan had been _his _idea. Of course, they had all agreed to it… Then again, there was very little that they all didn't agree on.

"And some of your schemes are just stupid," sighed Charon. "Every year, your birthdays are just another excuse to torture other kids by making them watch you eat your cake. A waste of time and money for something that's done for sadistic pleasure.

"And speaking of birthdays, you know, I have two older brothers and one older sister. We're still relatively close, but we tend to celebrate our birthdays _separately!"_

He poured a separate cup of coffee.

"Cree?" he asked.

"Cream, two sugars," she answered.

The Delightful Children gasped as she took it.

"Cree?" the shouted. "How can you…?"

Cree took a sip.

"Working for Charon has many fringe benefits," she answered with a smile. "Many more than Father ever gave me…"

The Delightfuls shivered.

"What are you going to do to us?" they moaned.

"Well," sighed Charon, "before I banish you to the Dark Void, I figured you might enjoy watching me take care of your favorite team of Kids Next Door operatives. I might as well tell you why they're here… I'm going to ransom them for a few things I… need…"

"And what will you do once you…" they started.

Charon interrupted.

"I'm afraid that another thing that annoys me about you five is that stupid speaking in unison," he stated, "so from this point on, no more talking…"

He held his hand up.

"What do you…" they started.

He closed his fist…

The Delightful Children were cut short as their mouths were sealed shut. Their hands when to their faces. They would have screamed, but their mouths wouldn't open.

Charon chuckled.

"If I could teach elementary school teachers to do that, I'd make a fortune," he mused.

He pointed to a couch.

"Now sit!" he ordered.

Not knowing what else to do, the Children hung their heads and sat down.

"Cree, bring our other guests up here," he told Cree. "And don't injure them…

"…yet…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

"So what's the plan, chief?" asked Numbuh Four.

"I have a pretty good idea what Charon wants, Numbuh Four," pondered Numbuh One.

He looked up at the ceiling.

"And unfortunately, I don't have a plan about what to do right now…"

They all looked up at the ceiling…

Two, Three, and Five looked at him and winked.

"Huh?" asked Numbuh Four.

It was clear to everyone but Numbuh Four what Numbuh One meant. He did indeed have a plan… But there was a good chance that this cell was being watched in some way, so him telling them about it was a bad idea.

"Numbuh Four…" said Numbuh Five, slowly, "haven't you noticed the annoying bugs crawling about this dungeon?"

Four looked at the ground.

"No, it's actually quite…" he started.

He paused.

_It will sink in any second now,_ thought Numbuh Five.

"Oh yeah!" he chuckled with a smile. "Bugs… hate those things…"

He chuckled.

"Although…" he said out loud, "the bugs in this place are a lot handsomer than Charon is!"

The door opened and Cree walked in.

"Oh, hi Cree," sneered Numbuh One. "We were just talking about lower life forms!"

Cree frowned, and took Numbuh One's sunglasses out of her armor.

"Put these on before we go up," she growled. "You look naked without them…"

She unlocked the door.

"Listen brats, I'll tell you once…" she warned, "the boss told me not to injure you – but I have plenty of non-lethal weapons in this armor, and they _aren't _pleasant! Besides, you don't have any weapons except your fists, so…"

"Don't worry, Cree, we don't intend to resist…" said Numbuh One, putting the glasses on.

He lifted his arms.

"We're going to see whoever's in charge, I assume?" he asked.

"Uh huh," answered Cree, "and if you even think about…"

"Team, do whatever she says," said Numbuh One.

They all paused.

Then they all lifted their arms as well. (Numbuh Three lifted one, clutching her Rainbow Monkey with the other.)

Cree's eyes narrowed.

"Nigel, I've never known you to give up," she said suspiciously.

"Maybe I think you're right," he replied. "Maybe I know that we're helpless, and I don't want my team hurt in a futile struggle that we'd obviously lose."

Cree looked at him.

_Well, _she thought. _This will be easier than the others…_

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Cree led them into Charon's lounge, where the evil warlock was waiting. He had switched from coffee to bottled water.

"Well, Sector V…" he mused. "So we meet in person for the first time. How do you like my study?"

"Uhm, not bad," muttered Numbuh Two. "Could use some work… maybe some rugs. My uncle's in the interior decorating business, why don't I give you his phone number…"

"No one likes a wise guy, Numbuh Two," said Charon with a glare.

They looked over and saw the Delightful Children staring at them.

"Ah…" started Numbuh Four.

"Oh, don't mind them," stated Charon. "They won't bother you. I took the liberty of sealing their lips shut so we could talk in peace."

He turned to Cree.

"Cree, why don't you bring Sector V something to eat? They must be hungry…"

"That's me…" sighed Cree, leaving the room. "Henchman, assassin, waitress…"

"Really, Charon…" remarked Numbuh One. "Do you really expect us to be stupid enough to eat what _you _give us?"

Charon smiled and sipped his beverage.

"Poisoning enemies is what cowards and animals do," he answered.

"And snatching your foes from their beds while they sleep isn't?" replied Numbuh One.

Charon's eyes narrowed.

"Eh, touché," he muttered. "But I had to find some way to bring you here, and it seemed like the only way I could do so without a fight."

Cree walked in, carrying a tray full of something.

"Well then," said Numbuh One. "What do…"

He looked at the tray.

"…finger sandwiches?"

"Is there a problem?" asked Charon.

"I guess not," sighed Numbuh One, taking one.

He ate it.

He paused.

"Okay, team, they seem safe," he affirmed.

They all went to the tray.

"So what do you want, Charon?" he asked.

"Straight to the point, I like that…" answered Charon. "Well, I want the Ancient Blade and the Ancient Key, which are hidden in your Treehouse. If you and your team ever want to leave this stronghold alive, you'll tell your allies to deliver them to me…"

Numbuh One rubbed his chin.

"Very well…" he said, with a shrug.

"Chief, no!" shouted Numbuh Four.

"You can't!" pleaded Numbuh Three.

"I know what I'm doing," stated Numbuh One. "Charon, do you have a phone I can use?"

Charon reached into his robes and pulled out a cell phone.

"Don't dream of them tracing the call," he warned, "because they won't be able to."

"Gotcha," answered Numbuh One. "Where do I tell them to make the 'drop'?"

"Tell them to bring them to Paris's Arc de Triomphe in one hour," ordered Charon. "My men will meet them."

Numbuh One dialed a number.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

At the Sector V Treehouse, Sector P and the Dogs of War were still trying in vain to find a solution…

And at that point, the phone rang.

Blossom went and picked it up.

"Sector V headquarters…" she said.

She paused.

"Numbuh One!" she exclaimed. "Are you all right?"

"Not exactly," answered Numbuh One. "My team and I have been taken captive. So listen closely…"

He paused, as he saw Charon watching him.

"Uhm, put the speaker phone on so everyone can hear, okay?" he said.

Blossom turned it on. Numbuh One continued.

"Numbuh 51, I… want you to take the Ancient Key and the Ancient Blade out of the safe and bring them to the Arc de Triomphe in Paris, in one hour," he said, plainly. "Give them to Charon's men."

"But Numbuh One!" pleaded Blossom. "We can't…"

"Yes you can!" snapped Numbuh One. "Remember Sally Belvin's protocol on hostages!"

"Oh, and one more thing…" he mentioned. "Numbuh Three asked to be careful with her toys… She only has one of them here with her.

"I'm counting on you guys… Our lives are in your hands!"

The phone hung up.

"Well, Numbuh One," said Charon, taking the phone back. "I'm surprised you did that. Obviously, you care for your teammates' skin more than you care for stopping me…"

He turned to Cree.

"Take them and the Delightfuls back to their cells for now. I'll wait until I have the artifacts before banishing the Children."

As Cree started to lead Sector V away, Numbuh Three spoke up.

"Numbuh One, I didn't say to…" she whispered.

"Quiet, Numbuh Three!" he warned. "We have a bigger problem… Charon plans to do to the Delightful Children the same thing he did to the Minerva Sisters… As much as I hate them, that's a fate I wouldn't wish on my worst enemy…

"Come to think of it, that's what they are…"

"Numbuh One is right," sighed Numbuh Five. "We've got to get out of this mess…"

Numbuh One said nothing.

_Hopefully, _he thought, _our allies will figure it out…_

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

At the Treehouse, the members of Sector P and the Dogs of War were puzzled.

"Why would Numbuh One tell us to open that safe?" asked Bubbles. "He knows that only he and Numbuh Five can open it!"

"Maybe he wanted us to rip it open…" suggested Buttercup.

Jackal rubbed his chin.

"No…" muttered Jackal. "I know what Sally Belvin's protocol for hostages is. If a captured operative delivers a message telling you to do something that you can't do, he's telling you NOT to do it. Numbuh One was telling you specifically NOT to give in to Charon's demands."

"But we're no closer to saving them than we were before!" squeaked Bubbles.

"Maybe he gave us a clue in his phone call," suggested Wolf. "He mentioned Numbuh Three's toys…"

"Yeah…" said Blossom.

She went up to the computer and started typing in some codes.

"I'll bring up the records of all missions in which Numbah Three played a prominent role, and then cross reference the word 'toy'," she stated.

Some data came up.

"Well what do you know?" she stated.

"You found something?" asked Fox.

"Uh huh," answered Blossom. "Three months ago, King Sandy tried to get at Numbuh Three by stealing all of them… the fruitcake. The team kicked his little butt… And to prevent such a thing from happening again, Numbuh One put a tracer in all of Numbuh Three's stuffed toys…

"And he told us that she now has one of them with her!"

She typed in the code, and a world map came up.

A signal honed in on Great Britain… Then on England… Then on an area some miles outside of Liverpool.

"Here we are," chuckled Blossom. "They're being held in a secret compound in Great Britain, ten miles south of Liverpool."

"Then we're heading across the pond!" exclaimed Wolf. "Kids Next Door… Battle Stations!"

Fifteen minutes later, the C.H.I.M.E.R.A. and the Dogs' elaborately painted S.K.Y.C.L.A.W. flew out of the hanger.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Charon looked at his watch.

He dialed his cell phone.

"Any news?" he asked.

There was a pause.

"I see…" he growled. "Well, keep waiting…"

He hung up, and grumbled.

"Their hour is up… Something screwy is going on… Maybe I should give them a little…_ encouragement._"

"Cree…" he called.

Cree appeared.

"Bring Sector V up here again," he ordered.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

After fifteen minutes, the five operatives were facing Charon again.

"Numbuh One," sighed Charon, "I have to ask… What exactly _is _'Sally Belvin's protocol'?"

"It's a standard procedure for when operatives are taken hostage," answered Charon.

"No doubt," mumbled Charon. "But I can't shake the feeling that you're up to something…"

He paused.

"You see, Nigel Uno," he continued, "most of the bad guys you face think you're nothing more than some brat whom they can easily outsmart. I know better. I know that you're incredibly intelligent, and that I have to watch out when you're around…

"I wouldn't be surprised if, when you made that phone call, you were saying one thing and meaning another… I want to know the truth…"

Numbuh One tried hard to keep a straight face.

"There's nothing more to say," he answered.

"You're lying," said Charon, "but I'll persuade you to tell the truth… All it will take is to put one of your teammates in harm's way…"

He chuckled.

"Now which one of them should feel my wrath?" he pondered.

He looked over the other four operatives.

"I know…" he said with a smile.

Then a trap door opened under Numbuh Five's feet, and she yelped as she fell through it!

"Numbuh Five!" shouted Numbuh One.

He turned to Charon with a look of hate.

"What's going to happen to her, you fiend?" he shouted.

Charon chuckled.

"There's an old friend down there who's dying to see here again…" he answered.

He waved his hand, and a glowing sphere appeared next to him.

"And you all will get a chance to watch her suffer…" he laughed.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Numbuh Five groaned as she pulled herself to her feet.

She was in another dark dungeon. The opening she fell through was in the ceiling twenty feet above and it had closed, and there weren't any other apparent exits.

"Pe-yew!" she exclaimed. "Smells like a wet dog!"

"And what's wrong with _that?" _said a voice with a girlish giggle.

A figure stepped out of the shadows. Numbuh Five's eyes narrowed – she recognized her…

It was a girl about her age, with curly blonde hair tied in pigtails. She wore a nice pink dress and sneakers.

And she had an evil grin on her face.

"Valerie," snarled Numbuh Five. "The were-poodle of Alcatraz. Long time no see. Bite any mailmen recently?"

"Please…" chuckled Valerie. "Mailmen are no challenge… They're barely worth it. Sure, they try to use mace… But I'm immune to it.

"I prefer prey that puts up a fight… Like certain students with ponytails…"

"Aw, why don't you go chase a car?" scowled Numbuh Five. "Preferably a parked one…"

Valerie chuckled.

"You always did have guts, Abigail," she laughed. "Most girls would be scared right about now… Let's see how brave you are in a minute…"

Her eyes started to glow red… Fangs sprouted from her mouth...

Abigail realized something as the change started to overtake Valerie… She _was _scared…

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Numbuh Five's teammates watched in horror as Valerie transformed into were-poodle form…

"This is insane, Charon!" shouted Numbuh One. "She won't last two minutes down there!"

"Tell me what you truly told your allies," said Charon, offhand, "and I'll gladly call Valerie off…"

Numbuh One looked at his teammate, backing away from the monster…

_If I tell him, there's no chance of them finding us… _he thought. _We wouldn't last long… If I don't, Numbuh Five is going to be dog food in a few minutes…_

_It's a rock and a hard place, and I'm caught right between it!_

**0**

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_**Coming up next:**_

_**Things are looking bad… or are they? **_

_**Next chapter, the Powerpuffs and the Dogs of War close in on a rescue mission, but they may have their hands full. Valerie is far from the only surprise that Charon has in his lair outside of Liverpool.**_

_**And where the heck is the Ancient Tome, anyway?**_

_**Stay tuned for "Preemptive Strike", coming soon. **_


	16. Preemptive Strike

_To everyone:_

_I know this chapter has been a long time coming. I got a new job, and it has been hard to concentrate on more than one fanfic._

_However, I got a new laptop, and now I'm able to write at work! So "Operation: P.O.W.E.R.P.U.F.F.T.W.O." is back online._

_Read on…_

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**CHAPTER SIXTEEN**

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**Preemptive Strike**

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As Numbuh Five faced down the snarling, ravenous beast in front of her, a thought crossed her mind:

_Why can't I ever find a rolled-up newspaper when I need one?_

Ever since she was eight years old, Abigail Lincoln had gone by the nomenclature of Numbuh Five, a member of the organization known as the Kids Next Door. As a member, she was bond by oath to defend children from the tyranny of adults…

And she had, several times, successfully defeating villains such as Mr. Fibb and Mr. Wink, Count Spankulot, and even her traitorous sister…

But she had a normal life on the side when there wasn't any business to take care of. She still went to school, and had pretty high marks for a kid her age. Her father looked forward to seeing her as an honor student.

And eventually, Abigail made a rival to that regard. Her name was Valerie. Valerie was as bright as she was, but was an egomaniac. Every time Abigail was near the girl, she had to hear her talk about herself. Several times, she would have loved to whack Valerie upside the head with a S.P.L.A.N.K.E.R., but using KND technology for personal reasons was forbidden.

It all came to head one day when Abigail decided to walk to school, and she was attacked by a mean dog, who chewed up her homework. She was surprised that there were dogs that actually did that. She didn't see the dog itself clearly, but she clearly saw whose house it came out of – Valerie's.

Suspicious that Valerie had done it on purpose, Abigail took Numbuhs Four and Two to Valerie's house to get revenge on the dog… And they found out that her dog was pretty harmless. Valerie, on the other hand, was not. She was harboring a dark secret… She was actually a vicious were-poodle, who had been continually preying on kids to get their homework!

And if there was one thing better than good homework, it was the girl who wrote it.

That day, the three agents counted themselves lucky to have escaped unscathed. They stunned Valerie by tricking her into swallowing Numbuh Four's homework, which due to its poor nature, made her sick. But it didn't slow her down for long. They were only saved when their teacher showed up with a net – apparently, she had been trying to keep Valerie in check, without much success.

Numbuh Five didn't believe for a minute that it was over. She tried having something done about Valerie, but not much could be done. The KND brass had to admit that there was no concrete proof that Valerie had committed any wrongdoing, or that she was a potential threat; the most the could do was raise her KNDanger lever a little in case of a future incident. Numbuh Five persisted, but eventually, Numbuh One cautioned her to drop it… He warned that if she pushed too much, someone might bring up the fact that Numbuh Five had been breaking and entering when the whole fight started.

Valerie didn't attack any other students or bother Abigail again since then…

But now, everything was changed… She had allied herself with an enemy of the Kids Next Door, and was staring down Numbuh Five again…

Even worse, Numbuh Five was unarmed, and wearing only her pajamas…

"You know Abigail…" growled Valerie, in a voice that clearly wasn't human, "in a way, you lucked out!"

"Do tell…" sneered Numbuh Five, as the creature advanced.

"See," snarled the beast, "Charon specifically told me NOT to kill you… For some reason he wants you alive…"

She took a swipe with her mighty paw, throwing Numbuh Five across the room!

"…but that doesn't mean I can't play with you a while!" she laughed.

Numbuh Five got to her feet.

She glared at Valerie.

"This is better than a big chew toy!" laughed Valerie, as she pounced.

"YAAH!" shouted Numbuh Five, aiming a karate kick at Valerie's nose.

The were-beast tumbled backwards.

"Heh, heh, heh," chuckled Valerie. "Not bad… So, how much longer can you keep that up?"

"Let's find out…" snarled Numbuh Five.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

"You know Nigel…" chuckled Charon. "Do you mind if I call you Nigel?"

"Yes, frankly I _do _mind," growled Numbuh One.

"Fine, Numbuh One then," sighed Charon. "Anyway, you're the leader of your sector, but you aren't much of a leader in my opinion. You can clearly see that one of your teammates is in danger…

"I've told you what you can do to make me call Valerie off, and yet you prefer to let poor Numbuh Five suffer?"

They heard a shout from below. Charon turned to see Numbuh Five land another kick that sent the beast toppling.

"Seems to me she's doing just fine on her own!" chuckled Numbuh One. "And frankly, she hates that creature's guts. Who am I to stop her?"

"You might think that she can beat Valerie, but she'll tire long before the superhuman muscles of a lycanthrope tire out," warned Charon.

Truthfully, Numbuh One was more worried than he thought.

He didn't have a watch handy, but he estimated that it had been about an hour an a half since he had made the phone call.

He could assume that the base they were being held at was in Europe, which was only an hour's flight from their Treehouse. If so, and his allies had figured out his message, maybe Numbuh Five would only have to suffer through this a few more minutes…

But if they were in Asia, Africa, or – worst of all – Australia, or even worse, they hadn't figured it out, they'd never get there on time.

Numbuh One couldn't chance it.

"All right Charon, you win!" he shouted. "Call her off…"

"Valerie, back away from Abigail…" ordered Charon.

Valerie growled and backed away. Numbuh Five backed up as well.

"Okay, Numbuh One, let's hear it," he ordered. "This better be the truth, because I'm certain Valerie doesn't like having her snack interrupted."

"Fine," sighed Numbuh One. "I told them…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Five minutes earlier…

The C.H.I.M.E.R.A. and a S.K.Y.C.L.A.W. with a ferocious beast painted on the nose zoomed over Liverpool England.

"Numbuh 51 to Dogs of War!" shouted Blossom over the communicator. "I found them! I'm picking up the signal from Numbuh Three's Rainbow Monkey coming from an underground complex under a cattle farm three miles north of the city!"

"I read you, Numbuh 51," answered Jackal, "but you should really end every transmission with the word 'over'. Over."

"Give me that!" snapped Wolf, grabbing the speaker.

"We got a lock too, Girls," he said. "Looks like they're in a room about twenty feet below the surface. We're going to have to go in the _hard _way."

Four minutes later, the two crafts were set to autopilot…

And two crafts that looked like missiles shot straight _downwards!_

**(Kids Next Door B.U.S.T.E.R.: Bombarding Underground Striker Targets Enemy Resources)**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

"I told them…" muttered Numbuh One.

"Hold it…" said Charon, holding his hand out.

He noticed that the wine glass on the side of his table started to shake.

He looked up.

"Oh, for the love of…" he growled.

He never finished. An explosion coming from the ceiling sent him, Cree, and the four members of Sector V to the floor.

The dented and burned-out remains of the two B.U.S.T.E.R.s were in the center of the room. Charon was too surprised to do more than stare for a few seconds.

Then the doors of one of them kicked open. The five Dogs of War were a little dazed. Despite having most of their interior designed for absorbing shock, using these things was never pleasant.

Wolf was the strongest, so he was more or less unhurt. He looked at the five operatives, and then at Charon.

"Well, this seems to be a come-as-you-are party," he chuckled. "So we came as we were!"

He drew the claymore off of his back, and it glowed with blue light. The other Dogs got up.

"Guys!" shouted Coyote, throwing a set of soda-bottle blasters to the operatives.

"Those won't help you," cursed Charon.

He formed a ball of flame in his hand…

Then the other B.U.S.T.E.R. burst open, and the members of Sector P sprang out!

Having Chemical X in their blood was a real boost.

"Gaah! Not you brats again!" shouted Charon.

"Yep," smiled Buttercup. "Us again. Ready to start where we left off?"

They flew towards Charon…

"Frankly, no…" answered Charon.

He and Cree vanished in a burst of flame.

"If that's a rescue squad," shouted Numbuh Five's voice, "can Numbuh Five get a little help down here?"

Bubbles looked down.

She flew up, did a sharp turn downwards, and smashed through the floor.

Flying into the dungeon where Valerie had backed Numbuh Five into a corner, she grinned.

"Here doggie," she chuckled, picking something up. "Fetch the stick!"

She hurled it at Valerie, and she growled. Bubbles picked Numbuh Five up, and lifted her back to where the others were.

"Uh, Bubbles, you do realize that wasn't a stick?" asked Numbuh Five. "That was a femur which I really hope used to belong to a cow…"

Bubbles squeaked in fear.

"Okay," said Numbuh One, as Coyote handed Numbuh Five a weapon. "The first thing we need to do is find the DelightfulChildrenand get them out of here. Then, since going out the way you came in doesn't seem to be an option, we have to find another way out."

"Why should we help those cruddy Delightful Children?" muttered Numbuh Four. "We save them, and they'll be back to give us grief again next week!"

"I know, Numbuh Four," sighed Numbuh One. "And I admit that it's tempting to leave them here. But what Charon plans to do to them is more inhuman than anything they've ever done. Besides, I intend to make them an offer they'll be unlikely to refuse…"

And then, Charon's haunting laughter echoed above them.

"Poor, poorKids Next Door," he chuckled. "I don't know how your would-be saviors found this place, but you'll all find getting out a lot harder.

"This whole complex is full of surprises. And dangers lurk behind every corridor. If I were you, I'd try to remember every detail of your training well… It just might give you the time to utter a prayer before you fall…"

And then, without any further warning, Valerie leapt up into the room!

Numbuh Five could swear that she was twice as large as she was three minutes ago…

"I'll handle this…" muttered Wolf, raising his sword.

He swung his weapon, hitting the beast in the skull…

To say it did nothing would have been an understatement.

Valerie growled and started to move forward.

"Take this!" yelled Coyote, drawing a pair of daggers. He threw them forward, and they burst against her hide.

She chuckled.

"Tickles a little, actually!" she laughed, in a voice that could best be described as demonic.

"So what now?" asked Jackal.

"I vote we run in terror…" stammered Numbuh Two.

"All in favor?" asked Snowball.

"AYE!" said fourteen voices.

"All opposed?" she asked.

They started to back up.

"Then the ayes have it!"

They screamed and ran out of the room; those who had weapons that could shoot blasted behind them, but it didn't seem to even slow her down.

"Hold up!" started Blossom.

She took a deep breath, and blew a blast of ice breath! The monster gasped and froze in a block of ice…

But cracks already started to form.

"This is a nightmare…" groaned Snowball. "I spent the first half of my life being chased up trees by nutcases like this! I mean dogs were just insane! I always asked myself what they would ever do to a cat if they actually caught one… Not that I wanted to risk finding out, of course. I thought that part of my life was over after I mutated and was able to fight back, but now…"

"Our weapons couldn't even scratch her…" muttered Coyote.

"That's because she's a were-beast!" answered Numbuh Five. "Normal weapons don't work on them. Don't you watch any horror movies?"

"She's right," sighed Fox. "In the days when folks like Dr. Van Helsing hunted supernatural creatures, they carried guns loaded with silver bullets for this type of thing. But that was only good in the days when firearms didn't pack much of a punch. Nowadays, guns are simply too powerful – a bullet made of silver is too soft to be fired from even the lowest caliber handgun."

The ice started to crack even more.

"She has one weakness," muttered Numbuh Five. "When I tricked her into eating Numbuh Four's homework, she got sick. Good homework makes her stronger – ignorance is poison…

"Unfortunately, we don't have his math assignment with us…"

"I'm not doing that bad in math!" snapped Numbuh Four.

"Numbuh Four, you _flunked _math!" accused Numbuh Two.

"No I didn't!" protested Numbuh Four. "I got a fifty-eight!"

Everyone moaned.

"Ignorance, huh?" asked Dingo.

He reached into his satchel, just as Valerie busted free!

Everyone fired, as Dingo pulled out a set of papers stapled together.

He rolled under the artillery, which wasn't having much effect, and then got in the monster's face.

"Hey, gruesome!" he shouted.

He clenched his fist, and sparks flew from his brass knuckle. He punched her in the jaw.

She roared, and bore down to bite him…

…only to have her jaws close around the paper.

"Hungry?" he prompted. "Eat this!"

She wrenched it free from his hands. Apparently she was happy to oblige…

She snarled at him, and drooled…

And then she gasped!

She fell over and stared to convulse!

After a minute, she started to shrink, and resumed human form; and she was out cold.

"Imagine," sighed Numbuh Five. "She fell for the same trick twice! I guess she's strong in body, but not in mind…"

"Actually…" said Dingo.

"Gee, bro," asked Coyote. "When did you do bad homework?"

"It wasn't homework," stated Dingo. "It was a collection of dirty limericks that I downloaded off the internet. You want ignorance in literature, read limericks. And the ones on that printout were _really _bad."

Fox sighed.

"What did mom tell us about downloading vulgar jokes?" he asked. "She's going to kill you if she finds out!"

"I stopped the monster, didn't I?" asked Dingo.

"Excuse me!" snapped Numbuh Five. "Valerie won't stay down for long; sooner or later, she's going to come to, come after us, and make us all dead! If we were smart we'd be somewhere other than here when that happens!"

"Agreed," said Numbuh One. "Let's try to backtrack and find the dungeon where we were kept. As soon as we find the Delightful Children, the better."

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Charon and Cree were watching from a hidden control room.

"Hey boss," laughed Cree. "Stop me if you've heard this one: _There once was a man from Nantucket…"_

Charon pointed his finger, and a lightning bolt shot from it, striking her in the chest! She fell against the wall.

"So you've heard it…" she moaned.

"Why do those jokes always have something to do with Nantucket?" muttered Charon. "Sometimes, I feel sorry for people who actually live in Nantucket! I can't imagine what they'd do to someone who told one of those dumb jokes there.

"Well keep at it, fools. Valerie was far from the only creature I have… And far from the most powerful…

"I've just been waiting for the right time to use that little souvenir I picked up in India a few years back, and it will just gather dust if I never use it…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

"Come in, Global Command!" said Numbuh Three into the communicator. "Requesting aid! Come in!"

She shook the device.

"Still nuthin', Numbuh One," she sighed.

"Well, keep trying," urged Numbuh One. "We're bound to get through eventually."

"I don't know," stated Wolf. "This place is completely under Charon's control. Likely, if he doesn't want communication, there isn't any communication."

"Then we're on our own…" muttered Buttercup.

They entered a large chamber.

"Then we'll just have to…" started Numbuh Four.

And then he screamed…

In front of them was a fifteen-foot tall statue of a woman made of alabaster. She looked beautiful, but her clothing was hideous. Her skirt was made of hands, and she wore a garland of skulls, as well as a golden crown. She had four arms, each one holding a sword…

And she had an evil smile on her face…

"Yikes…" said Numbuh Two with a shudder.

"What is THAT?" yelled Numbuh Four.

"Numbuh Five will tell you what it is," gulped Numbuh Five. "It's a statue of Kali. I saw one just like it in New Delhi."

"And who, pray tell, was Kali?" asked Numbuh One.

"Pardon my French," answered Numbuh Five, "but she was the most badass goddess in Hindu Mythology, or _any _mythology for that manner! Goddess of Death… The gods were once challenged by a rakshasha – a demon – who was almost impossible to kill, because every time even a drop of its blood fell to the ground, it would turn into another demon! But then Kali killed it by holding it above her head, breaking its neck, and _drinking _all its blood before the stuff could turn into demons!

"She impressed Shiva the God of Destruction so much that he took her as his wife – but even he got a few scars from her rage. The only one she cared about was their son, who…"

"Uhm, I hate to interrupt," said Jackal, "but need I remind you that Charon owns a lot of unholy artifacts, and it likely wouldn't be wise to stay in here… I really don't like the look of that thing…"

"Agreed!" they all said.

They turned to leave the chamber…

And then a stone door slammed down, sealing them it!

"Aw, no problem," mused Jackal, going for his satchel. "I can blast through that door in five minutes tops!"

"Uhm, Jackal…" muttered Fox. "You might want to save the explosives…"

The eyes on the statue were now glowing red…

It stepped down from its platform, and raised its swords!

"A statue that can come to life and attack," muttered Numbuh One, sarcastically. "Gee, Charon, how original…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

"It isn't just a statue, Numbuh One," chuckled Charon. "It has a deadly power that you'll soon discover."

"So what is it?" asked Cree.

"A device of incredible evil," chuckled Charon. "You see, Kali used to have a special cult of worshippers called the Thuggee. For most of the year, they were just normal people… but on certain months, they became bandits, who waylaid and murdered travelers as sacrifices to their goddess.

"One group of Thuggee was more ambitious than the others. They constructed a statue of their goddess and performed a ritual that they hoped would appease her and convince her to send part of her spirit into the statue, using it as her avatar.

"But Kali is very fickle. She wasn't pleased. She was insulted for some reason. She sent a demon to take possession of the statue, and it killed the cultists.

"Of course, Kali didn't care what happened to the demon after it had done that, so she just imprisoned it inside the statue forever. That demon has spent the last several centuries justifiably angry… Only someone skilled in controlling demons can control it."

"So you…?" asked Cree.

"Guilty," chuckled Charon. "And soon I'll give the Kids Next Door a choice that will strike them where it hurts…"

He concentrated.

_Demon of the Statue, _he commanded. _Throw them around for a minute or two, and then use your power on…_

He thought for a second.

_Eh, I've already used Numbuh Five… Numbuh Three should suffice this time…_

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

"Come on Girls!" shouted Blossom. "This is just another monster!"

"Yeah!" agreed Buttercup, as they flew into formation. "And how hard could it be to smash something made of alabaster?"

They flew at the statue…

Each of them socked it once…

"OUCH!" they all shouted at once, holding their fists.

"Uh, bro?" said Dingo to Fox. "I'm guessing that when these three say 'ouch', it's bad news…"

"That's the hardest alabaster I've ever seen!" cried Bubbles.

The creature's eyes glowed…

They dodged as a blast of pure energy shot from them, leaving a scorch mark on the wall.

"Well that was…" started Blossom. "AAHH!"

They dodged as the thing swung at them with its blades!

"Sheesh!" shouted Jackal. "You'd think something that big couldn't move so fast!"

The Girls put their hand together.

"TRIANGLE BLAST!" they shouted.

The green energy triangle shot forward, and struck the monster in the chest! It staggered back a few steps.

But then it glared at them.

"Hey, pal!" shouted Wolf's voice.

The statue turned towards him.

"I can tell you have a lot of pent-up aggression," he said, sarcastically. "Maybe you'd like to call a truce and discuss this over hot chocolate?"

The statue paused. Itfrowned.

"Okay, so maybe you don't like hot chocolate…" muttered Wolf.

He drew his sword.

"How about four feet of sonic-powered steel?"

The statue swung its swords at him, and he dodged.

"Why did he even bother trying to talk to it?" asked Numbuh Two.

"He was trying to figure out whether it was mindless, or whether it's intelligent," answered Numbuh One.

"And unfortunately," he continued, "the fact that it paused when he spoke to it proves that it _isn't _mindless. This thing likely isn't able to speak, but it has at least some intelligence, if not a great deal of it…

"And that makes it deadlier…"

Wolf leapt up…

And with one downward slash, it lopped off the thing's upper-left arm!

"HA!" he shouted. "Not so tough now, are you?"

The statue looked at the arm on the floor.

Then it pressed one of its swords against its chest, where it stuck like a magnet…

Then it picked up the arm, and held it to the stump.

To everyone's unbelieving eyes, there was no trace of so much as a crack! As it grasped the sword it had put against its chest again, Wolf started to rethink his strategy…

"Hey Wolf!" shouted Jackal. "Try cutting its head off! We'll see if it can put _that _back on!"

"That's an idea…" said Wolf, as the thing closed in on him.

He dodged four slashes from the blades, and then leapt on the creature's upper arm. With one stroke, he beheaded the statue!

The operatives cheered…

But then they gasped as they saw it was still moving!

This time it stashed two of its swords, and then picked up its head… It placed it back on its shoulders, as if it had done so all the time.

"Guys, I'm running out of ideas here!" he shouted.

"Open fire!" shouted Numbuh One.

The five members of Sector V fired at the thing, hitting it in the torso again.

"We just have to blast it until it's rubble!" shouted Numbuh Four.

The statue backed up.

And then its eyes glowed… With _black _fire.

"Hold up, people!" shouted Numbuh One. "This thing is trying a new trick…"

The creature just stared at them…

…and its eyes locked with Numbuh Three's.

"Everyone!" shouted Numbuh One in panic. "Don't look it in the face! It's eyes… Some sort of evil spell…"

But the warning had come too late for Numbuh Three…

Her hands hung limp for a minute.

"One, two, buckle my shoe…" she muttered, saying the words of the popular nursery rhyme.

"Numbuh Three?" muttered Numbuh One.

"Three, four, five… won't survive…" she muttered in a ghostly voice.

"Numbuh Three!" he shouted.

"Six, seven, all… good… girls… go… to… Heaven!"

She turned towards them, and to their horror, her eyes were glowing just as black as those of the statue!

She lifted her blaster, and then crushed it in her hand!

"Hee, hee, hee," she chuckled.

She raised her hand, and black flames enveloped it! Then she shot a stream of the black flames at Numbuh Five!

Numbuh Five was slammed against the wall. She fell down, groaning.

"Numbuh Three!" shouted Numbuh One. "You're being controlled by that thing! You have to…"

She grabbed him by the neck!

"I've never felt better!" she hissed.

She tossed him aside like a rag doll.

"Wolf…" gasped Numbuh One. "That statue is doing this! We have to destroy it!"

And then Charon's laughter echoed through the chamber.

"Charon!" shouted Numbuh Four. "Let her go, or so help me, I'll…"

"I can't, Wallabee," chuckled Charon. "I'm not the one controlling her, the demon inside the statue is. No one, not even me, can break the spell now, not that I would.

"But I will tell you about the statue's power of enslavement if it will make you feel better…

"Kuki's soul has been enslaved by the demon. She'll do whatever it tells her to. Sure, she might be sobbing and crying on the inside as she crushes the life out of you, but she will do it…

"The statue grants a slave superhuman strength and a host of other powers, as you'll soon see.

"Now you probably think that if you destroy the statue, you'll get your friend back safe and sound. I'm afraid it doesn't work that way in this case. Kali was evil, and she didn't put such simple escape clauses with her stuff.

"You see, the statue is now tied to Kuki via a link that would be fatal if it were broken. In other words, if the statue is destroyed, she won't survive…"

"No…" gasped Numbuh Four.

The statue grinned an evil grin.

Charon chuckled.

"Of course it's only fair to say that the link works both ways," continued Charon. "If Kuki were to perish, the statue would crumble into dust.

"And by the way, right now, the statue is much, _much _stronger than she is…"

"You overgrown piece of…" snarled Coyote. "Are you suggesting… I've seen hairballs that cats have coughed up who were less slimy than you!"

He turned to Snowball.

"No offense…"

"None taken…" she replied.

"Insult me as much as you like…" sighed Charon. "But you can't change the situation…

"The statue and its slave are going to try their hardest to kill you, and they'll never tire. And if you perish, Kuki will be its slave forever. Maybe it will just use her as its groomer or something, because it doesn't like collecting dust. You don't want that, do you?

"Sooner or later, I guarantee, you'll decide that only one option exists – that you'll have to sacrifice her if you want to leave this room alive.

"So, why don't we just start where we left off, shall we?"

The flames enshrouded Numbuh Three's hands, and the wicked statue raised its swords…

And everyone else in the room realized one thing…

Charon had truly trapped them this time…

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

In her office in the Moonbase, Numbuh 362 passed by the table where the original Numbuh One's sword lay…

_You're getting restless, aren't you? _she thought. _It won't be long now… two or three days at most, and you'll make your choice…_

She went up to a computer console, and typed in some coordinates.

_The Ancient Tome is the most powerful of the three artifacts, _she thought. _It contains spells of the most potent arcane lore, and maybe even information on this strange creature that Charon wants to summon…_

_We've made scans of every continent and even the bottom of the sea, and so far, the location hasn't been pinpointed. But it has to be somewhere on Earth…_

_It's as if it's in a place that's there and not there at the same time…_

She paused.

_Hold it… _she thought. _"A place that's there and not there at the same time"…_

She entered coordinates on her screen, very odd coordinates.

"**Artifact located," **said the computer.

_I should have known it would be there, _thought Numbuh 362.

A picture of a city made of jade with streets paved with gold appeared on her screen. It looked abandoned, but still in excellent shape.

_Shangri-La… _she thought.

**0**

**0**

**0**

_**Coming up next…**_

_**Once again, we leave on a cliffhanger, with our heroes caught in the deadliest trap of all. Only by killing their teammate can they hope to defeat the demon… It looks bleak…**_

_**Giving away the title of the next chapter would give away the plot, so just hang tight, and wait for next time.** _


	17. Bond

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**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**CHAPTER SEVENTEEN**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**Bond**

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**0 0 0 0 0**

_Shangri-La, _thought Numbuh 362.

_An interesting development. I'll have to inform the Sectors…_

Unfortunately, contacting the Treehouses of Sectors P and V showed that they were both unoccupied.

_Strange, _thought the Commander. _School should be over by now – they aren't on any missions…_

_Has something happened?_

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

She didn't know it, but right now, some of her subordinates were between a horrible Rock and a Hard Place.

The Rock: An evil statue in the likeness of the Hindu goddess of death, Kali, possessed by a demonic entity. It was incredibly powerful, and determined to kill them.

The Hard Place: Said statue had cast a vile spell that had enslaved Numbuh Three's soul, and given her dark powers. Even worse, the bond that linked her to the statue ensured that destroying the statue would kill her as well (and vice-versa).

And the people caught in the middle…

Numbuh Three's four teammates, the four members of Sector P, and the five Privileged Ones known collectively as the Dogs of War.

As Numbuh Five looked at her brainwashed teammate, she tried hard to think of a situation in their team's history that had been worse. Somehow, after all they had been through, she couldn't think of one right now.

"Kuki, please!" she shouted.

Numbuh Three stared at her, and black flames blazed in her eyes.

"I warn you, Kuki," she said, trying to sound gentle, "if you ever recover from this, you may never forgive yourself…"

Numbuh Three's head slowly drooped.

_Does she understand? _thought Numbuh Five.

She walked up, and held out her hand…

And then Numbuh Three struck with a savage backhand! Numbuh Five tumbled backwards.

"Sucker…" hissed Numbuh Three.

"Girls!" shouted Dingo. "Try to restrain her for a few seconds! I'm going to try something!"

"You got it!" answered Blossom, as she and her sisters flew at Numbuh Three.

They tackled her and wrestled her to the ground! She thrashed against their attempts, and they could barely force her down!

"She's almost as strong as us!" screamed Bubbles.

"Spread-eagle!" gasped Buttercup.

Blossom pinned her right arm down. Bubbles pinned her left. Buttercup held down her legs.

"Hurry up, Dingo!" shouted Buttercup as she struggled and growled.

"Kuki, please…" muttered Numbuh Four.

Dingo took four items out of his pack that looked like iron tubes, two of which had handles on them. He quickly screwed them together, forming a weapon resembling a small hand-held rocket launcher.

"Okay, girls," he said, hefting it, "you can…"

An explosion of dark flames erupted from Numbuh Three, and the Powerpuff Girls were thrown with a splat against three walls!

"Never mind," said Dingo, getting down on his knee.

As Numbuh Three got up, he flicked a switch, and a crosshairs centered on Kuki…

He pulled the trigger, and a projectile shot at her! As it hit, it erupted into metal ribbons! Kuki screamed, as they wrapped her up in a tight cocoon!

"What the crud is that?" shouted Numbuh Four.

"The most powerful non-lethal armament we have," answered Dingo. "Riot squad police would kill for a restraining device like this. She's not breaking free of that, and it should give us time to think up a way to…"

A chilling laugh – a woman's laugh – echoed through the chamber.

They looked up, and realized that they had totally forgotten about the cause of the whole problem. The wicked statue was standing right above Kuki's prone form.

"_You humans are so fun to toy with…" _said a female voice in their head.

Numbuh One looked at it.

"So, you can talk," he growled. "Why didn't you before?"

"_I usually make it a point not to talk to insignificant commoners," _said the statue. _"But since you've been putting so much more effort into this than anyone else has, I couldn't resist…"_

It bent down with a sword, and with one swipe, cut through the metal bonds holding Kuki.

"_Of course, your efforts are pointless," _it continued. _"Your attempts to reason with her will keep falling on deaf ears, and I sense that you all are already starting to tire. But my energy is limitless, and right now, so is hers."_

"If you don't let her go, you overgrown pile of pebbles," scowled Numbuh Four, "I'll…"

"_You'll do what?" _laughed the statue. _"I'll let you in on a secret, Wallabee…"_

Numbuh Four was stunned… How did it know his name?

"_When I first took hold of Kuki's soul, I was able to access her memory," _continued the statue. _"I even know things that she's likely never told any of you, like the fact that she was the one who gave you those boxing gloves for Christmas last year anonymously!" _

Numbuh Four was stunned.

"She gave me those?" he muttered.

"_Let me just say that, given the current situation, I doubt that I'm in any danger from you!" _laughed the statue. _"But you're in a great deal of danger from me!"_

Numbuh Four was so stunned that he didn't see it aim a kick at him, and he didn't see it until it was too late.

He groaned as he picked himself up.

"_Get them, my slave," _ordered the statue.

Balls of black flame appeared in Numbuh Three's hands, and she hurled them at the Dogs. They screamed, and fell to the floor.

"Dingo…" muttered Coyote. "Can you hit her with that thing again?"

"Uh, guys…" answered Dingo.

He held up the weapon; the blast had melted half of it.

"Terrific…" muttered Wolf.

"_Well, this has been nice," _chuckled the statue. _"After all, I haven't gotten into a good fight in over twenty years…"_

It glowed.

"_But it's time to end this…"_

Numbuh Three's hands glowed, and two swords, sized perfectly for her small frame appeared in them.

Jackal let out a sigh…

"Let me try," he said, pulling out his tonfas.

He twirled them in the air, and as Numbuh Three lunged, he intercepted the two blows. Unfortunately, as skilled as he was, it was all he could do to deflect the rain of blows. Slowly, she backed him into a corner…

The two of them struggled for a minute…

And then the tonfas flew from his hands! Numbuh Three grinned wickedly, and crossed the two swords against his neck…

"No…" gasped Wolf.

"Oh… no… you… don't!" shouted Jackal, giving her a kick.

Numbuh Three didn't fall over, but skidded fifteen feet backwards. She lunged at him blades first, but he rolled out of the way.

"Everyone get over here!" shouted Fox, holding a spherical object.

That didn't sound like the best plan, but nonetheless, all twelve of his allies ran up to him. He hit a button on the sphere, and tossed it into the air…

A dome of force surrounded them.

The statue frowned. It and Kuki started to blast black fire at the dome, but it held…

"Guys," said Fox, "that's a temporary solution at best. I figure we only have three minutes before they manage to break though."

"Team," said Numbuh One, sadly. "It's time we face up to the non-face-up-toable… There's only one way out of this… And we may hate ourselves for it until the day we're decommissioned…"

"You're not saying…" muttered Snowball.

"Nigel, don't forget, some of us here aren't _going _to be decommissioned!" gasped Coyote.

"I know people," muttered Numbuh One. "But all of us, Numbuh Three included, took an oath during our initiations saying that if the ultimate sacrifice needed to made, then so be it…"

He looked at Numbuh Three.

"I think that in Numbuh Three's mind right now, even she knows it – there is no other way…"

He paused.

With a burst of energy, the force field shattered!

The statue chuckled.

"Set weapons to maximum power," said Numbuh One, sadly, as he lifted his weapon. "And…"

He paused again.

"…prepare to fire on Numbuh Three…"

"Numbuh One, wait…" muttered Numbuh Four.

He looked at Numbuh Three.

"Hold it off for as long as you can," he said, lifting his own weapon. "There's just something I have to do…"

"What are you…" asked Numbuh One.

Then he stopped.

Numbuh Four walked up to his enspelled teammate… She lifted the weapons…

"_This should be fun…" _chuckled the statue.

"Look, you monster," growled Numbuh Four, "if you want her to kill me, fine. But how about letting me say something to her first? At least give me that! Give a condemned kid a last request…"

The statue laughed louder than it had before.

"_Why not?" _it laughed. _"I might actually like it. Make it quick!"_

Numbuh Four glared at the evil thing in hate. Then he turned to Kuki.

She glared at him with flames in her eyes.

"Kuki," he said. "I guess ends here… But if we have to fight…"

He threw his weapon on the ground.

"…I'm not going to defend myself. I could never strike you. And I want to tell you something…

"You remember last Valentine's Day when someone put a _huge _heart-shaped box of chocolate nut-clusters in your locker but never signed it, and you never found out who sent it… Well, I did… I was just too chicken to sign it…"

"He sent her that?" muttered Numbuh Two. "I thought it was Louis…"

"Will you be quiet?" snapped Numbuh Five.

Numbuh Three's eyes opened a little wider.

"_Enough!" _snarled the statue. _"Take those swords and kill him!"_

Numbuh Three raised the weapons…

But then she lowered them…

"Get ready…" whispered Numbuh One.

"Kuki…" said Numbuh Four sadly, "I've wanted to tell you something for so long, but it never came out right… I was always interrupted or… I just chickened out…"

"Now?" asked Wolf.

Numbuh One paused.

"No…" he whispered back.

"_I said kill him!" _shouted the statue. _"Listen to me!"_

"Kuki…" muttered Numbuh Four. "I…"

His eyes closed…

"I… love… you…"

"Well," muttered Numbuh Two. "It's about time…"

Numbuh Five jabbed him in the ribcage.

Kuki looked dumbfounded. Her eyes were still on fire, but the evil expression was gone. She dropped the swords…

A tear trickled down her cheek.

Then something happened to the statue! It dropped the swords in its two upper hands, and clutched its head!

"_What's happening?" _it shouted.

"Numbuh Four!" shouted Numbuh One. "It's working! Keep doing what you're doing!"

"Huh?" muttered Numbuh Four. "What more do you want me to do?"

He looked at Numbuh Three.

"Well," he sighed. "This worked for Sleeping Beauty and Snow White…"

He held Numbuh Three's face…

And then kissed her deeply on the lips!

Numbuh Three let out a gasp!

And then, the black fire vanished. She moaned, and fainted.

"Way to go, Numbuh Four!" shouted Blossom.

The statue was in a rage! It picked up its swords, and its eyes started to glow with black fire again!

"_Free one of my slaves," _it said, _"and I'll merely seize another!"_

It glared at Wolf.

"_How about you?" _it laughed.

"Oh… no… you… don't!" shouted Buttercup.

She flew up and clasped her hands over the vile thing's eyes!

The statue roared and tried to throw her off!

"Lovely," muttered Numbuh Five. "Anyone know what the world record is for rodeo riding?"

"That's one of the few stunts in which recording a world record is impossible, Numbuh Five," answered Coyote. "There have been several instances in rodeos where a cowboy has managed to ride a bucking bronco until the bronco was just too tired to buck anymore, so no world record exists."

"That thing's not going to get tired," muttered Dingo, "and so far, none of our weapons have been able to scratch it… Fox, give me the prototype…"

"Are you out of your ever-loving mind?" shouted Fox. "It hasn't been tested yet!"

"No time like the present!" replied Dingo.

"All right!" muttered Fox, "but if something goes wrong, I'm not the one who's going to explain it to mom!"

He pulled something out of his satchel that looked more-or-less like a black box with shoulder straps. Dingo took it and strapped it to his chest.

"Time to go… heavy duty!" he shouted, throwing a switch.

The thing hummed to life, and a metal breastplate unfolded over his chest, bearing the insignia of a howling wolf! Then armor formed over his arms and legs, and a helmet with a glowing eyepiece. Finally, two huge cannons formed on his shoulders.

"Let's rock…" he said, gripping the handles.

**(Kids Next Door B.L.A.S.T.A.S.T.I.C.: Bionic Laserjet Armor Stupendously Terminates Adult Supervillains Touting Incredible Cannons)**

"Use level ten, maximum implosion capacity!" ordered Fox.

"What?" asked Dingo.

"Oh, just aim and fire!" shouted Fox.

Dingo got on his knee, and looked through his eyepiece… Twin crosshairs lined up on the statue, which was still trying to throw Buttercup off.

"Buttercup, get off that thing!" he yelled.

Buttercup flew off…

The statue glared in anger…

And then it looked at Dingo.

"You… go… bye… bye!" snarled Dingo, pulling the trigger.

Twin photon blasts shot from the cannon, with such force that the shockwave threw everyone down! Numbuh Four clutched Numbuh Three's unconscious form, and Dingo himself was thrown back against the opposite wall…

But it did the job. The evil statue gave a final howl before exploding into tiny shards of alabaster.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Charon hated to be proven wrong.

He had been watching the whole time, and he had honestly thought that there was no way to free Numbuh Three from the statue's control other than killing her. He had been wrong.

He also thought that his enemies had no weapons that could actually destroy the creature. His plan all along had been to force them to kill Numbuh Three to save themselves.

And not only was he wrong, but the price for being wrong was going to be expensive. The second the powerful blast hit, all the equipment in his control room exploded, sending him, Cree, and all of his servants tumbling to the floor.

He picked up his head.

"Another plan bites the dust…" he muttered.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

"How's Numbuh Three?" asked Numbuh One, as Jackal worked on the door.

"Sleeping soundly," muttered Numbuh Four.

"Man, I am never doing _that _again!" exclaimed Dingo. The blast had completely fried the armor, and his two brothers were prying it off of him.

"Seems there are still a few bugs in the blueprint," muttered Fox. "Well, as the old saying goes, to make an omelet, you have to break a few eggs. The next one will work just fine. Maybe I should look into a 2x4 shock absorber…"

Buttercup floated over to Numbuh Four.

"How did you know that would work?" she asked.

"How what would work?" he asked.

"You know… finally telling her…"

"I didn't…" sighed Numbuh Four. "I just wanted too before… Well, go on everyone, laugh at me."

"We won't Numbuh Four," said Numbuh Five, "and Numbuh Five thinks she knows why it worked…"

They all turned to her. She turned to the broken remains of the statue.

"That thing was a demon, an embodiment of evil. It probably didn't even understand the concept of love… Or things like friendship or even loyalty. It only knew about evil concepts.

"When Wallabee finally confessed after all this time, it was something that Numbuh Three had wanted to hear for a long time. And the statue got confused. The good emotion started to overpower it…

"And that kiss was just too much for it. Its bond with Kuki had turned into poison. If it didn't let Kuki go at that point, it would have blown its top, maybe literally. True, that would have likely killed Kuki too, but it was too interested in self-preservation, and too certain that we couldn't defeat it."

Numbuh Three's eyes opened.

"W-Wally?" she moaned. "Did we beat it?"

"Kuki?" he asked.

"Ooh," she muttered. "We were fighting it, I looked it in the eyes, and then I blacked out…"

"You mean you don't remember?" he gasped.

"Uh, uh," she said, shaking her head.

Everyone giggled.

"Yeah, we beat it, Kuki," he said. "It was no problem!"

"My lips are sealed…" muttered Numbuh One.

Everyone nodded.

"Huh?" asked Numbuh Three.

"All right, stand back!" shouted Jackal.

His bomb went off, and the door blew open.

"What did I tell you?" he laughed.

"Good," said Numbuh One. "Next item on the agenda, we find the Delightful Children."

Everyone groaned.

They had almost forgotten that part…

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

As they walked down a corridor, Numbuh Two flicked him communicator closed.

"Good news, people!" he exclaimed. "I finally got through! They're sending a rescue ship ASAP!"

"Good," said Numbuh One. "Then we find the Delightful Children, get to the surface, and split this joint!"

They looked around.

"Numbuh Five remembers where we are," mumbled Numbuh Five. "The dungeon where we were locked up is around here."

"Well were there are prisoners, there's likely a guard…" muttered Numbuh One.

They turned the corner.

There was a guard, but it wasn't human. It looked like some sort of mountain lion with red fur.

Right above it was a lever.

"Eh, we can handle that guy…" said Wolf.

"Don't be so sure," said Snowball. "He probably would throw that lever and set off an alarm or worse…"

She grinned.

"But I've got an idea… Be ready to move in when I give the signal."

She threw her hair back, and then got down on all fours…

She crawled up to the guard. He was surprised…

And then she purred against him.

"What do you know?" chuckled Wolf. "Snowball certainly has a way with male cats…"

Snowball cuddled up to the guard, and signaled to her allies. They snuck past them.

"Let's be quick," said Numbuh One. "I don't know if Snowball likes this as much as he is…"

They walked over to the cell where the Delightful Children sat with their backs to each other.

"Oh, Delightfuls?" said Numbuh One.

They looked up at him.

"Well, aren't you going to say anything?" he asked.

They glared at him.

"Oh right, you can't," he muttered. "Charon's spell must still be in effect. Well, I can't say I envy you five. I know what Charon plans to do to you…"

They stared at him.

"We rescued three of his victims – they were banished to another dimension where they were cursed to sleep and suffer nightmares. They'd still be there, if we hadn't gotten them out. I don't think you'll be able to count on any rescuers…"

Their eyes widened in fear…

"Now, I may hate myself for this later," continued Numbuh One, "but even though you don't deserve it, we're going to get you out of here…"

They perked up…

"On one condition!" he added. "We want the access code to Prometheus!"

They stared at him.

"That's right," said Numbuh One. "You write it down on paper this instant, and as soon as the rescue craft comes, I'm going to use it, just so you have no chance to change the code. If what you give me right now is fake, we throw you out and let Charon drag you back here."

"What's the…" started Numbuh Four.

"Quiet, Numbuh Four!" ordered Numbuh One.

The Delightful Children's heads drooped even more.

"What?" asked Numbuh One. "You thought we didn't know about it? Our spies found out about it when it was in the blueprint stages, dopes! We were planning to secretly sabotage it when it was finished so it would blow up in your face! But now I got a better idea! We'll use it ourselves!"

He pushed a notepad and a pen through the bars.

"So, it's either the code, or pleasant dreams…"

They hung their heads…

One of them took the pen and slowly started to write…

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Meanwhile, everyone in the control room was working with fire extinguishers.

"So what now boss?" asked Cree.

He snarled.

"They could be virtually anywhere in the complex right now," he growled. "And with Valerie sick, that statue reduced to pieces, and my whole security system in its self-repair stage, there's not much that we can do to stop them from just waltzing out of here!

"Frankly, we're just going to have to chalk this one up to another plan that simply didn't work…

"But the Ancient Tome is the most powerful of the three artifacts, and since they're so good at finding these things, we'll just let them lead us to it again. And if we must burn their Treehouse down to get the other two, then we simply must!"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

When they left the dungeon, they saw Snowball standing above the unconscious great cat.

"What did you do to him?" asked Bubbles.

Snowball showed them a package of something.

"Catnip," she said. "Take a little of it, like I always do, and you feel energized. Take a lot of it, like this jerk did, and you get zonked out."

Numbuh Two's communicator buzzed.

"Yeah?" he said. "Okay… Do you think you could open an access from the underground to the surface? Yeah, I'll do that…"

He walked ahead, and placed the communicator on the floor of the hallway, twenty feet away.

"What are they gonna do?" asked Wolf.

"You'll see…" chuckled Numbuh Two.

A sound like grinding and drilling was heard above them. Softly at first… then louder…

Then the ceiling crumbled into dust, and a huge craft descended!

"You guys have been busy since we turned thirteen," chuckled Fox.

"The newest thing in underground exploration," answered Numbuh Two. "The P.I.P.E.P.O.D.- M.A.C.H.T.W.O.!"

**(Kids Next Door P.I.P.E.P.O.D.- M.A.C.H.T.W.O.: Pipe Interior Penetrating Extending Pneumatic Oscillating Drill – Massive Aerodynamic Creating Huge Tunnels Without Overdoing) **

"Get going!" shouted Numbuh One to the Delightfuls.

The large group boarded the craft.

"Hey, Numbuh 78!" said Numbuh Two to the driver.

"Glad to see you guys," said the eleven-year-old. "The Commander was worried about you all. She wants to talk to you personally once you get back to your Treehouse."

She turned and saw the Delightfuls.

"Uh…" she started.

"I'll get to them in a minute," said Numbuh One. "Take us above ground, and hover for a minute or two. I'm not sure if they're coming with us or not…"

The craft rose, and Numbuh One sat at a console. He looked at the written code.

First he typed in something, and the image of a very nasty-looking satellite came up on the screen.

He typed in a command, and a message came up that said, **"Input Code"**.

He looked at the code written on the paper. He carefully typed it in.

"**Access Approved."**

"Looks like you five lucked out," he said to the Delightful Children. "Of course, now that I have access to Father's weapon, the first thing I'm going to do is change the access code so he can't use it… But we sure can…"

Their faces fell.

"Just tell yourself that it's a lot better than what Charon had planned for you," snarled Numbuh One, as he worked at the computer. "Numbuh 51, drop these geeks back at their mansion, and then take us to Sector V Treehouse.

"Everyone needs a shower, badly…"

The Delightful Children slumped down.

They sort of wondered whether or not eternal nightmares would have been preferable to what Father was going to do to them when he found out…

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

It was now six PM. Everyone had showered, and the members of Sector V had thrown the torn and ripped pajamas that they had been kidnapped in away. Surprisingly, Numbuh Three, whom they suspected would be traumatized the most, was smiling as much as ever, hugging the same Rainbow Monkey that had saved them.

"Ugh," said Numbuh One. "I don't think showering helped much."

"At least you didn't need to wash your hair!" sighed Numbuh Five.

"So Numbuh One," asked Numbuh Four, "what is Prometheus?"

"Wasn't he the Titan who stole fire from the gods to give to mankind?" asked Wolf.

"Yes," answered Numbuh One. "Stole it from the sun.

"You see, Father saw this James Bond movie a few years back… I didn't watch it myself. James Bond movies kind of lost their touch when it wasn't Connery or Moore playing 007.

"But anyway, in this movie, the villain builds a super weapon – a satellite that could focus the power of the sun into an incredible, burning heat ray, able to incinerate a city!

"And Father, being the nutcase that he is, decided to build his own version. He figured that his own version of Prometheus could be the perfect weapon against the Kids Next Door. With one flick of a switch, he could vaporize one of our Treehouses, and the team inside would never see it coming…"

Bubbles squeaked in fear.

"The project was top secret, but fortunately, someone who he hired to design it thought he was a lunatic, which he was. He practically begged a KND officer to let him talk to him, and he spilled the whole plan.

"Only the most senior team leaders were informed, and we had a plan. We would let Father spend the money and resources to build it, which were sure to be astronomical, and when it was nearly complete, we would make a secret sabotage. Our informant had told us about a weak spot in its design that would serve that purpose.

"When Father actually tried to use the thing… Boom. His plans would come crashing down, and we doubted he'd want to waste another fortune to do it again.

"However, with the Delightful Children at our mercy, I decided on a different plan. I knew that Prometheus was 99 complete, and that they knew the access code. I also knew that they were cowards who'd do anything to save themselves from Charon. So I made them give us the code.

"Now we've stolen it from Father, he can't use it, and the best part is, he can't even stop the mechanoids he has up there from finishing construction! In just one week, give or take, Prometheus will be the newest addition to Global Command's arsenal!"

There was a long pause.

"Chief," muttered Numbuh Five. "You're saying we got a weapon that turn something the size of our Treehouse to ashes?"

"Affirmative," said Numbuh One.

"Can Numbuh Five ask just what the sam-hill we're gonna do with it?" she asked. "I mean, this sounds a little too dangerous…"

"I have to agree with Numbuh Five," said Fox. "Something that powerful demands you be careful with it…

"And it also demands restraint. Take our mechas. As much as we'd love to flatten Delightful Manor with C.E.R.E.B.R.U.S., we wouldn't, because we follow a little thing called the Rules of Engagement. Father may cheat and use unfair tactics, but we like to think we're better than him."

"I didn't say we were going to actually use it," protested Numbuh One. "But with the things Charon is throwing at us, such as Talos…"

They all shuddered. That memory was fresh in their minds.

"…we might need all the help we can get!"

Then the console of the computer lit up.

"**Incoming craft," **it said. **"Incoming craft."**

They went to the screen and their eyes opened wide.

It was Numbuh 362's personal fighter – the S.O.V.E.R.E.I.G.N.

**(Kids Next Door S.O.V.E.R.E.I.G.N.: Supreme Operative's Vehicle Empowers Rider Enabling Interface Gray-matter Node)**

"Numbuh 362 to Sector V Treehouse," said the Commander's voice. "Requesting landing clearance…"

"Uh, right away sir, uh ma'am," said Numbuh One.

They all knew that this had to be big. Usually when Numbuh 362 wanted to see you, you had to go to the Moonbase. When she came to an Earthbound base, it was incredibly important.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

The S.O.V.E.R.E.I.G.N. made a perfect landing in the docking bay. Most 2x4 vehicles looked haphazard and jury-rigged, but this one had been built with aesthetic in mind. Not that it wasn't capable in a fight; indeed, it was one of the most powerful vehicles that Global Command had ever built. Numbuh 362 wasn't a bad pilot when she had to get involved.

Contrary to popular belief, she did a lot more than just tell other operatives what to do. She felt she wasn't doing her job if she didn't handle a mission personally at least once a week. And a lot of the missions she went on were secret ones that she couldn't trust with anyone else. And she was good at what she did, both in stealth and combat. Not many enemies actually saw her – if she had to take them out, they never saw the face of the one who clocked them.

One rumor said that she had snuck into Delightful Manor no less than twenty times, and most of the times got away with vital information before anyone even knew she was there. The time that Numbuh 86 ruined one of these espionage missions was written off as Numbuh 86's fault, but 362 decided after that episode that disguising herself as an operative slated for decommissioning was a bad idea (Numbuh 86 would likely mess it up again).

But as she removed her helmet, she was worried…

The Kids Next Door were in a major fix at the moment with a foe that used magic, and her skills in that area were nonexistent.

She climbed out of the cockpit, and the fourteen operatives saluted.

"At ease," she said. "I heard about Prometheus, Numbuh One. Good job, but we're going to have to be careful with it…"

"I take it that's not the only reason you came here," asked Numbuh One.

"No," she answered. "I know where the Ancient Tome is, and it's a doozy…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

In the briefing room, Numbuh 362 stood in front of the assembled group.

"Who here has heard of Shangri La?" she asked.

There was a long pause.

"I think it's some sort of mythical paradise," mentioned Jackal.

"Sort of," said 362. "It's an enchanted city… Millennia old, with buildings made of jade and streets paved with gold. Within its walls hold several kingdoms worth of wealth… libraries holding secret knowledge… art more beautiful than what the Louve holds… and music so lovely it is said that mockingbirds fly to the towers of the city to listen to it.

"In this sacred place, the Ancient Tome is held."

"Great!" exclaimed Numbuh Four. "So when do we leave, where is this place, and do we have time to get film for my camera?"

"You won't be going at all Numbuh Four," said 362, shaking her head. "This has to be done very carefully.

"You see, technically, Shangri La is located in the Himalayas. However…"

She paused.

"It is both there and not there at the same time."

Everyone gave her look.

"How can it be 'there and not there' at the same time?" asked Buttercup.

"Shangri La is a magical place," answered 362. "And it is very nearly alive. If it doesn't want you to find it, it simply doesn't exist for you, and it's 'not there'. And if it's 'not there', you simply can't get in, because it's _really _not there.

"I'm setting the expedition for Saturday, and we're going to try our hardest to make sure it's 'there' when the group gets to the spot.

"First, large groups are not allowed to enter. If more than three people approach the city at once, it's 'not there'.

"I'm assigning Numbuh One, Numbuh 51, and Wolf for this mission. The three team leaders should be a powerful presence, and might impress the city."

Numbuh One, Blossom, and Wolf nodded.

"But there's more," continued Numbuh 362. "Violence is not allowed in Shangri La. So weapons aren't allowed either. If you even have a slingshot in your pocket when you approach, it's 'not there'.

"You can take weapons just in case Charon tries something, but there'll be a spot where you'll have to leave them behind. If the legends are true, you likely won't need them in Shangri La anyway."

They nodded.

"Note that violence is possible without use of weapons," she added, "and Shangri La will punish anyone who commits violence within its walls – so consider that a warning!"

"Anyway," she continued. "Shangri La will not allow inside thieves or anyone who seeks to rob its treasures. If anyone with selfish or greedy intent tries to find the city, it's 'not there'. It will only possibly be 'there' if the ones who seek it have noble goals."

"How noble can you get?" asked Numbuh Five.

"True," said Numbuh 362. "However…"

She paused again.

"Even if three or less people, unarmed, with honorable goals try to find the city, there's still a chance that it will be 'not there'. It's a fickle thing that cannot be relied upon."

"What do we do if it's 'not there'?" asked Blossom.

"Well, Charon will never be able to enter Shangri La," answered 362. "If we can't enter it, we'll find a way to safely destroy the Key and the Blade, and hopefully that will end the threat.

"However, we'll have to hope that we can get the Tome. This book may have information on this creature that Charon wants to summon, and the more we know, the better."

She looked at her watch.

"It's seven o'clock," she said. "Like I said, we'll plan for Saturday. We all have school tomorrow, so everyone had best get to their home base."

"Yeah," said Dingo. "The cafeteria is having spaghetti and meatballs tomorrow, and I'm not missing lunch this time!"

"Tell me Dingo," muttered Jackal, "are there any foods you don't like?"

"Only three," he answered. "Asparagus, raisins, and snails."

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

That night, the Treehouse was on triple security – they weren't going to let Cree sneak in again.

Kuki Sanban slept with a slight grin on her face…

Truthfully, she had remembered the whole thing. But she didn't think it was fair to hold Wally to it. But it gave her a warm feeling that had let her take what had been a horrifying experience and turn it into a nice one.

As she drifted into sleep, a ghostly figure that no security system could have stopped appeared in her room…

The figure looked like that evil statue in basic shape, but she was only six feet tall, had flesh-toned skin, and was unarmed.

The creature looked at Kuki, and smiled sweetly.

She bent down, and gently kissed her on the forehead.

Then she petted her with one of her arms, and slowly faded into mist.

Kuki had no idea what had just happened…

In fact, she was dreaming that she was holding Numbuh Four's hand, and both of them were laughing and running through a field full of happy Rainbow Monkeys…

**0**

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_**Coming up next:**_

_**Numbuh One, Blossom, and Wolf journey to the mythic Shangri La to find the last piece of the puzzle!**_

_**Also, a strange change begins to come over Numbuh Three. Could that nasty statue's spell have had longer lasting effects?**_

_**The next chapter is called "Golden Road", and it's coming soon.**_


	18. Golden Road

_Hi, everyone. Sorry this latest chapter took so long to write, but I've been busy. _

_Anyway, enjoy, as usual._

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**Chapter Eighteen**

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**Golden Road**

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That night at midnight, a small figure crept into the Bar With No Name, unseen by the occupants.

He looked around. His eye focused (not in the normal way) on Mr. Boss, who was sharing a drink with Knightbrace.

He twitched his other eye, and an implant in his ear came on. He listened closely to their conversation.

"Everything's going ca-ca-kooky around here lately," muttered Mr. Boss. "First the Kids Next Door send teenagers of all people to bust up my secret project – I'm still looking for information on that – then the Delightfuls disappear and show up not being able to talk…"

"Be grateful…" muttered Knightbrace. "I've wanted them to clam up for years. I mean, I thought they were nice kids at first, they always remember to brush and all, but they got annoying after that real fast."

"What do you think happened to Cree after they caught her?" asked Mr. Fizz, who was at the other end of the bar.

"That was the weirdest part," muttered Mr. Boss. "I expected that those delinquents would have finally given her a memory wipe – and maybe a case of total amnesia while they were at it…

"But someone who will go nameless reported seeing the KNDorks trade her to someone else at the neutral ground…"

"Really…" muttered Knightbrace. "Whoever it was must have had something they wanted pretty badly for them to give up Cree…"

"I know," said Mr. Boss, "someone very powerful. And I'll let you in on something…" said Mr. Boss.

The unseen listener came closer to listen.

"Whoever this mystery benefactor of Cree's is," he continued, "he must know something, and I want to know it too. There are two sayings that can apply here…

"One of them is, 'The enemy of my enemy is my friend'…

"But the other is 'The enemy of my enemy is my enemy'…

"If the later is true, we can't take any chances, because whoever is pulling her strings now is likely stronger than even Father – why else would she choose to work for this guy instead of him?

"And besides…"

He paused.

"Uhm, Knightbrace, did you just let one rip?"

_Oh crud, _thought the listener. _I make a lousy spy…_

"It wasn't me!" shouted Knightbrace, offended. "It was probably toilet-face over there!"

"HEY!" shouted Toilenator, getting angry. "Why am I always blamed? He who smelt it, dealt it!"

The spy got nervous, and this only made the smell worse…

"Hold on…" muttered Mr. Boss, walking over to a curtain next to the bar. "I smell a rat…

"Or more appropriately, a skunk!"

He whipped the curtain aside, and it was indeed a skunk…

Well, sort of. At least that was what he once was. Only half of him was still a skunk. The right half of his torso and arm, much of the left half of his upper face, and a lot of his organs were cybernetic parts.

His name was Bradley…

Aka Numbuh Six…

Aka R.O.B.O.B.R.A.D.L.E.Y.!

**(Kids Next Door R.O.B.O.B.R.A.D.L.E.Y.: Robotic Operative's Ballistic Odor Blasting Rocket Armed Derriere Launches Extreme Yuckiness)**

_Uh oh… _though Bradley.

"Get 'im!" shouted Mr. Boss.

Bradley squawked, and a laser beam shot out of his bionic eye, hitting the portly villain in the chest! The villain gasped and fell backwards…

Everyone else in the place made a rush for the small rodent, and he turned and ran for the door…

Then he paused…

A barrage of missiles flew from his behind and exploded, covering the bar with a cloud of stink gas!

As everyone coughed and gagged, the young skunk made his escape…

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Oftentimes, Bradley wondered how his life had turned out like this…

These times, he recollected… Snowball was far from the only non-human to be granted membership in the KND. The only fully-trained member yes, but Bradley had led the way as an honorary member.

It all started with Chester's first scheme. When Numbuhs Two and Three had been spying on his sweatshop disguised as a summer camp, the operatives had found Bradley, lost and alone. They thought he was an orphan, and decided to adopt him, and Bradley had no way of communicating that he had simply been separated from his parents. Besides, Hoagie and Kuki were being so nice…

The other members of Sector V tried to be nice, despite Bradley's stench. And when they moved in on Chester, Bradley and his parents saved the day. Numbuh One used his executive powers to give Bradley the honorary title of Numbuh Six…

They didn't call on him often, but one time that they did, it nearly cost him his life. He was asked to spy on Cree, only to be run over by a truck. Sector V trailed him to a hospital, ironically one where Cree was attacking operatives. His condition was labeled terminal…

But normal medicine was small potatoes compared to 2x4 technology, and Numbuh Two was determined to save Bradley. He replaced the destroyed parts of the skunk's body with cybernetic ones, not only saving his life, but turning him into a powerful weapon. On the plus side, Bradley took care of Cree once the operation was successful.

As he caught his breath ten blocks from the bar, he weighed the success of his current mission…

He'd been able to spy on the Bar With No Name for two weeks before he had been found out, and now he had some useful information…

He started to make his way to the Treehouse, where he was sure his adoptive parents would be glad to see him…

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Speaking of which…

It was five AM, and in her bedroom, surrounded by her numerous stuffed toys, Kuki Sanban yawned and stretched.

This was odd… She often didn't wake up until seven, an hour before the schoolbus came…

But she smiled, and stretched again.

_Wow! _she thought. _That was a good sleep… My head's never felt clearer!_

She hugged the stuffed toy next to her, a Rainbow Monkey dressed in jams, a tank top, and a headband.

"You sleep good too, Fitness Fun Rainbow Monkey?" she asked.

She paused.

_Not a bad idea… _she thought.

She got down on the floor, and started to do push-ups.

The fact that she had never done so before after getting up never occurred to her.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Two hours later, the other four members of the team were sitting around the kitchen table, which was laden with cereal, orange juice, and milk.

"Isn't Kuki up yet?" asked Numbuh Four.

"Why?" snickered Numbuh Five. "Want to give her a good morning kiss?"

Five, Two, and One laughed out loud.

Four started to laugh too, and then he moaned.

"Oh, I'm a living joke…" he muttered.

They heard the elevator in the next room. After a few seconds, Numbuh Three came in…

Dressed in a t-shirt and shorts, with a water bottle hooked to her belt.

"Hi!" she beamed.

"Numbuh Three, where were you?" asked Numbuh One.

Three took a bowl and poured Rainbow Munchies into it.

"Thought I'd go for a jog before breakfast…" she said with a sweet smile.

Everyone looked at her as she poured milk into the cereal.

"What?" she asked.

"Uh, Kuki…" muttered Numbuh Four, "since when do you jog?"

Three shrugged.

"I figure we all have to be in good condition the next time that icky Charon shows up," she replied. "You all should try it. The morning air makes me feel yummy all over!"

Numbuh Five changed the subject.

"Anyway chief…" she said, "how are you, Blossom, and Wolf planning to get to Shangri-La on Saturday?"

"Well, a lot depends on luck, and on what Charon tries to do to stop us," answered One. "Numbuh 51 is planning the approach. If the rumors about the area are true, he shouldn't be able to…"

They heard the elevator again.

"Now who can that be?" he said in surprise.

They all looked…

And then everyone but Numbuh Three held their noses.

"Calm down everyone," muttered Numbuh One, "it's just Numbuh Six…"

"Bradley!" shouted Numbuh Three, leaping up.

She picked the small creature up and hugged him.

"How's momma's boy, huh?" she said cutely.

Numbuh Four sighed. He had liked Bradley at first, but the way Three doted over him was getting annoying. He had once looked up how long skunks lived, and was relieved to see that it was five years on average – but then Numbuh Two told him that the cybernetics likely decelerated his aging process vastly, making him practically immortal unless he was killed (and Numbuh Four would never go that far). Bradley would likely be around until they were all decommissioned and then until they were dead…

"What's up Bradley?" asked Numbuh Two. "Here for an oil change?"

Bradley giggled.

"Seriously," said Numbuh One, "do you have anything to report, Numbuh Six?"

Three put him down, and Bradley gestured. A tape recording inside his torso came on…

The operatives listened to the conversation he had overheard…

"Well no problem!" chuckled Numbuh Four. "If the bad guys start fighting each other, then they won't have much time to bother kids!"

"That's only true on the surface, Numbuh Four," sighed Numbuh One. "When large fights start between adults, kids tend to get caught in the middle. I'll give an example…

"Who here has had seen their parents get into a big fight?"

Numbuh Two didn't raise his hand, seeing as his dad was… well, gone, but everyone else did, including Numbuh One.

"Thought so," said Numbuh One. "And how did they treat you when they were mad at each other?"

"I see what you mean…" muttered Numbuh Four. "So what you're saying is, when good adults fight, kids suffer, and when _bad _adults fight…"

"…the results can be catastrophic…" sighed Numbuh One. "Unfortunately, there's only one way we can stop a villainous war from occurring…

"Stop Charon before blows are exchanged. And to do that, the mission to Shangri-La must not fail…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Not many kids the age of the KND liked school that much. The Delightful Children loved it – after all, they had once tried to betray the elementary school in order to become high-schoolers – but they were absent that particular day. The Sector V operatives wondered when Charon's lockjaw spell would wear off…

All kids had classes they liked, and classes they hated.

Gym class has always been a strange class. You either loved it, or you hated it. It depended a lot on how athletic you were.

Until now, Kuki Sanban was the type who hated gym…

But as she stood on one side of the gymnasium facing a team armed with dodge balls with her teammates behind her, it didn't seem so bad this time.

The other team let loose an attack…

"UGH!" grunted Muffy as she was hit by one of them. "I am writing a letter to the school board!"

Kuki ignored her teammate…

Four balls sped towards her…

Quickly, she dodged the first three…

Then she caught the fourth!

Time to counterattack…

With one mighty throw, she hurled the ball forward…

It struck one member of the opposing team, ricocheted and hit another, and then ricocheted again, hitting a third!

The three of them fell to the ground, the wind knocked out of them…

"YAY!" shouted Kuki.

"Uh… good arm…" muttered Muffy.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

At four o'clock, at the Sector P Treehouse, Blossom was looking over a map when Bubbles floated up.

"Whatcha doin'?" she asked.

"Planning the approach," answered Blossom. "There are certain layers in the area surrounding Shangri-La, and the situation changes with each one…

"See, right here, no one can enter with evil intent, making Charon mostly unable to get to us…

"And past this point, he can't even see anything, making us totally safe… from him at least…

"But at _this _point, that's where weapons or violence are no longer allowed, so if the city itself has any guardians, they have to be either convinced or tricked.

"Past this point is the really scary part," she said, looking at the center of the map, which was blank, except for a question mark. "This is where the 'There/Not There' part comes into play. Supposedly, if the city refuses to let you in, it's 'Not There', and all that's there is a big plateau, twenty miles wide and two vertical miles tall…"

"And if it's 'There'?" asked Bubbles.

Blossom paused.

"No one knows…" she said. "Supposedly, the city is somewhere in there, but how you get in… We'll just have to find out…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

In the California desert, an abandoned junkyard full of metal scrap lay, seemingly silent…

Few knew that it was a front for the subterranean base of the Dogs of War. Their old Treehouse had long been passed to younger members of the KND, and they had relocated to a much different base.

The subterranean base was similar to a Treehouse in size and components, but the technology, although based on 2x4 design, was a bit more advanced. After all, Fox was one of the best technicians during his days in the regular KND, and his teenage years had only made him smarter.

It was evening right now, and Jackal was in the common room, watching _Jeopardy!_ and snacking on Crackerjacks.

"'Godly Names' for 1,000, Alex," said the contestant.

"And the clue is…" started Alex.

The clue revealed itself.

"Before this term came to mean an extraterrestrial, it was used to describe a warlike person or soldier."

"What is a Martian," muttered Jackal.

The three contestants were silent.

"Come on, people, it's a Martian!" sighed Jackal.

The beeper buzzed.

"Ooh, the correct answer, what is a Martian," stated Alex.

Jackal sighed.

_I swear, someday I'm going to take the test to go on this show… _he thought.

Wolf came in.

"Where is everyone?" he asked.

"Well, Dingo and Coyote are at their parents' house," answered Wolf, "but Fox is in the main hanger working on his 'big project'."

"Really?" asked Wolf.

Wolf took the elevator to the topmost level, and entered a huge chamber that looked like an empty stadium. F.E.N.R.I.R., A.N.U.B.I.S., and C.E.R.B.E.R.U.S. were parked in one side of the huge hanger, asleep for the moment, but ready to pounce should they be needed.

At the other end, the incomplete form of what looked like a plane eight times as big as the Spruce Goose (the hanger was big enough to move the three mechas around comfortably) was being worked on with mechanical arms. Fox was manipulating them.

"John?" asked Wolf. "Is that the…?"

"Yep," muttered Fox. "The big project. Soon our dogs are gonna have some help…"

"When's she gonna be done?" asked Wolf, looking with wonder at the huge gargantuan flying machine.

"Depends," muttered Fox. "I can complete construction within a week, but it will be deadweight until I have the anti-gravity generators. I had to hack into a arms dealer and pose as a military company to order them; they won't trace it to us, but I don't know how long it will take them to get through the shadow corporations I set up to hide our tracks. Once we get them, the bird will be ready to fly."

"Excellent…" said Wolf, with a smile.

"Say, Dan…" muttered Fox, "just how does Global Command get all the money to pay for this stuff?"

"I'll let you in on a secret," chuckled Wolf. "We own the patents on a lot of toys and games that kids love… X-box, Skydancers, Magic the Gathering… lots of stuff in a lot of countries. It keeps the money coming in."

"Do tell," chuckled Fox.

"We also own the patent on Red Bull," snickered Wolf.

"NO!" laughed Fox. "Only adults drink Red Bull!"

They both laughed.

"If only they knew…" chuckled Wolf.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

The days went by rather quickly, and on six AM Saturday, Blossom flew alone to the Sector V Treehouse.

At the same time, the Dogs' craft flew into the hanger, and Wolf disembarked.

Numbuh One met them, and the three nodded. They went to the console room.

Numbuh 362's face appeared on the console.

"Numbuh One," she said, "Numbuh 51, Numbuh 688…"

The two younger operatives looked at Wolf and he nodded.

"Yeah, that was once what I was called," he said.

"Indeed," said the Commander. "I'm counting on the three of you. The Ancient Tome is the most powerful of the three artifacts. It not only contains a plethora of powerful spells, but it also likely has information on this thing that Charon wishes to summon.

"Follow the instructions to the letter. If Charon tries to stop you, and he can't do much, fight his forces off. If Shangri-La is 'Not There', return immediately; our only recourse then will be to destroy the Key and the Blade.

"But if it's 'There', you will be entering unknown territory. Only glimpses of the city have been seen, and what is in it is known only by rumor.

"One word of caution I cannot express too much. As you know, beyond a certain point, violence is not allowed, and transgressors will be punished for such acts. I cannot say what such a punishment will entail – it could possibly be a death sentence. So please, do not tempt divine wrath!

"If you find the Ancient Tome, bring it to the Moonbase as soon as you can for study. We may learn more about Charon's plans.

"Good luck, operatives…"

Her face vanished.

The three of them nodded, and headed to the M.O.S.Q.U.I.T.T.O.H.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

It had not been a good week for Charon.

In fact, the whole month had not been his best.

As he paced in his most secure base, he went over all the unfortunate events that had happened…

The KND had freed the Minerva Sisters, killing one of his servants in the process…

His journal had been stolen, causing him a great deal of humiliation…

He had spent a great deal of magical energy and a fortune on magical supplies to summon Talos, only to have the Dogs of War blow him to pieces…

The Ancient Key and Ancient Blade were in enemy hands, and he hadn't thought up a new way to steal them back…

Not to mention that he kept being foiled by a group of meddling kids!

He'd been watching them intently, knowing that they'd locate the Tome before he did, and he had a practical army of demons ready to follow them into whatever shrine or hallowed place it was kept. It was only a matter of…

"Boss!" yelled Cree.

"ARGH!" shouted Charon, looking at her.

He paused.

"Don't interrupt my train of thought," he sneered. "Do you have news?"

"Yeah," said Cree, "those brats are heading into the Himalayas, so we can…"

"Wait…" interrupted Charon. "Himalayas?"

"Yeah, so now we can…" started Cree.

Charon roared with rage! Flames erupted from him, scorching the whole room!

"I should have known…" he moaned, slumping into the charred remains of a chair.

"What?" squeaked Cree in fear. "Can't we…?"

"No, we can't…" sighed Charon. "Of all hallowed places, that's the most hallowed. If an evil soul sets foot in that area, he'll be reduced to dust… We're helpless to stop them…"

"An evil soul you say?" said a voice. "Then why don't we send some creatures with no souls at all?"

Charon looked up.

"Wacky Jack" Apophis was there.

"What are you getting at, Apophis?" he asked.

"An evil creature can't enter, eh?" asked Jack. "Why not send something soulless that can't distinguish between good and evil? Our regiment of Robotic Assassin Troopers would be a loophole!"

"Ah, yes, the insufferable R.A.T.s," muttered Charon. "Jack, need I remind you that your stupid robots just malfunctioned last week?"

"Why is it when they mess up, they're always _my _stupid robots?" asked Jack, annoyed. "Do you want to stop those brats or not?"

"Fine…" muttered Charon. "It isn't like we have many other options…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Back in the Treehouse, Numbuh Five, dressed in her exercise spandex, walked into the workout room…

And to her surprise, Numbuh Three was at the weight machine, covered with sweat and doing crunches.

"Fifty-one…" she puffed, "fifty-two…"

"Kuki?" asked a shocked Numbuh Five. "Since when do you pump iron?"

Kuki slowly lowered the weights.

"Since Wednesday," she gasped, reaching for a bottle of Gatorade. "I've never felt healthier since I started working out!"

She drank the drink in three gulps.

"Say, Numbuh Five," she said with a sweet smile, "I've been meaning to ask you for a long time… Will you teach me Jujitsu?"

Numbuh Five stared at her.

"Uhm…" she muttered. "Sure… I could… do that…"

_It's just a phase she's going through, _she thought. _She'll stop as soon as a new line of Rainbow Monkeys comes out…_

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

The M.O.S.Q.U.I.T.T.O.H. landed in a lonely and desolate valley.

Mountains the size of skyscrapers surrounded them, and far in the distance, the looming figure of Mt. Everest (visible from anywhere in the Himalayas) stood proudly).

"Hey guys," said Wolf, as they checked the sensors, "I have a riddle for you… What was the world's tallest mountain before Mt. Everest was discovered?"

They both thought for a minute.

Blossom chuckled.

"Still Mt. Everest," she said with a laugh. "Just because it wasn't discovered doesn't mean it wasn't there!"

"Can we be serious, people?" muttered Numbuh One, checking the scanners. "It says here that the nearest humanoid life forms are in a village of Sherpas forty miles away. Nothing else but a bunch of wild sheep, rams, and yaks. Looks like we're safe…"

"Then it's time to trek the Golden Road," said Wolf, fitting his helmet on his head.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

After walking a mile, Wolf paused…

"Hold up…" he stated. "I just got wind of something I didn't like…"

"I can feel it too…" muttered Blossom.

Wolf drew his sword. Numbuh One raised his two jalapeño blasters. Blossom simply floated into attack position.

They stood with their backs to each other…

With a humming noise, a large ship, as big as the M.O.S.Q.U.I.T.T.O.H., hovering over the ground, came from over the crag…

"I should get those scanners inspected…" cursed Numbuh One.

Hatches opened on the sides of the ship, and a bunch of man-sized objects, hanging from posts like mannequins, emerged…

They unfolded, and dropped to the ground…

The three operatives turned to face them. Robots, dozens of them. They looked skeletal in shape, painted rust-red, with faces resembling robotic rodents with feral faces and spindly arms and legs.

"Didn't we see these guys in a certain set of space opera prequels?" asked Blossom.

"Robots…" muttered Numbuh One. "The scanners didn't pick up any life forms because they were only looking for living things…

"So Charon, you're reduced to sending walking toasters after us…"

"I know these creatures…" muttered Wolf. "Wacky Jack invented these Robot Assassin Troopers – R.A.T.s – as killers for the Dark Hand. Alone, one isn't very dangerous, but unfortunately, the only time you see one alone is when it's 'dead'."

The R.A.T.s all drew two short swords apiece from their hips and rushed forward!

"All right, tin men!" shouted Blossom. "I'm gonna send you back to Oz!"

She flew forward, smashing into five of them! They sparked and exploded into scrap.

Numbuh One opened fire with his blasters, and five more blew up.

"Humph," he mocked. "I've seen shooting galleries that were more dangerous!"

"My turn!" shouted Wolf.

He swung his sword and beheaded three of them in one swipe! Then made a slash and split another down the middle! He kicked another and it fell apart.

After three minutes of this, the three operatives were standing on a heap of broken and burning robot parts.

"That was kind of fun, Charon!" laughed Blossom. "Got any more?"

Then the humming sounded again…

And _four _more of the hovercrafts floated into view.

"You _had _to ask…" muttered Numbuh One.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Numbuh Two was unwrapping a candy bar as he walked past the exercise room…

And suddenly, he heard Numbuh Five screaming!

He looked inside and didn't believe what he saw… On the training mat, a smiling Numbuh Three had her locked in a hold!

"Okay, Kuki, okay!" begged Numbuh Five. "I submit!"

Numbuh Three let go.

"Thanks for he lesson, Numbuh Five," she said, sweetly. "Boy, I need a shower…"

Numbuh Five caught her breath as she left.

"What happened Numbuh Five?" asked Two, in shock.

"She's a fast learner…" gasped Five.

She held her stomach.

"You up for ice cream? Numbuh Five thinks she's eligible for a free cone on her frequent scoop program…"

Numbuh Two looked where Numbuh Two went in disbelief.

"Uh, sure…" he muttered.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

At this moment, Wolf, Blossom, and Numbuh One were fending off the assassin droids.

Twin jalapeño blasts fired. Heat vision and ice breath shot forward, and the sonic waves from a steel claymore sliced through metal.

But for each R.A.T. that was mowed down, it seemed two took its place.

"Guys, this is getting pointless…" said Blossom, punching one of them.

"Yeah," agreed Wolf, slashing through another. "These rust-buckets really aren't worth me dulling my sword on…"

"I've got something that can take them all out at once…" said Numbuh One. "But we'll have to be a thousand feet away from them when it goes off…"

"Wolf, can these things fly?" asked Blossom.

"Not to my knowledge…" he asked.

"Good," said Blossom. "Numbuh One, get it ready!"

Numbuh One sheathed his blasters. He dug into his satchel, kicking a droid that got too near. He took out… something that looked like a baseball.

"Wha…?" asked Wolf.

Numbuh One hit a button on it…

The number 30 appeared on it. He dropped it.

"All right!" he shouted. "We have thirty seconds to get clear!"

Blossom grabbed them both, and flew strait up, as fast as she could!

The R.A.T.s looked confused…

Then they looked at the strange device…

5…4…3…2…1…

It beeped…

**(Kids Next Door B.A.S.E.B.O.M.B.: Ball-like Antimatter Shell Exudes Big Oversized Mega Blast)**

The three of them looked down, as the robots were blown into little pieces of little pieces!

"Uh, Numbuh One…" muttered Wolf. "That was an antimatter bomb, right?"

"Yeah," answered Numbuh One.

"Exactly how many times have you used one of those things before?"

"Uh… zero?" he answered.

"ZERO?" gasped Wolf. "That was its field test? How were you sure it wouldn't blow us up too?"

"Uh, well…" muttered Numbuh One. "It worked so well in the simulation…"

They all landed.

"The Kids Next Door are using anti-matter bombs…" sighed Wolf. "What's next, miniature black holes?"

"Actually, we're working on that…" added Numbuh One.

Wolf stared at him.

"I'm kidding, pal…" chuckled Numbuh One.

"Guys, let's keep going," said Blossom. "The second layer is only half a mile from here."

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

"No boss," said Cree, looking at a large law book. "I'm afraid we have no legal right to sue the Kids Next Door for damages because they destroyed weapons that we used to try to kill them…"

"Well, it was worth checking out…" sighed Charon, as he slumped in his chair.

He thought for a minute.

He grinned.

"Cree…" he said with a grin, "I'll bet you'd give anything to get even with that sister of yours, wouldn't you?"

"Would I ever!" laughed Cree.

"Wouldn't you like to pound her flat?" asked Charon. "Blacken her eyes? Bust her nose open?"

"What are you suggesting?" asked Charon.

Charon folded his arms and smiled.

"Maybe it's time to stop all the deception and cheating…" he muttered.

"Maybe it's time to make an offer…

"…to play fair…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

"Thanks Huey," said Numbuh Five, as she and Numbuh Two exited the ice cream store.

Five looked at Two's ice cream cone, which was two scoops – chocolate on top, and vanilla on the bottom. Hers was vanilla on top and chocolate on the bottom.

"Hoagie," she sighed, "you don't know how to eat ice cream…"

"What do you mean?" he asked. "You got the same flavors I did!"

"Look, you like chocolate better than vanilla, right?" she asked.

"Uhm, yeah…" he said.

"Well, when you put two different flavors in the same cone, you put the one you like better on the bottom!" she explained. "That way, you save it for last! Plus you get to eat that one with the cone itself, which is a great combination!"

"No one knows more about ice cream than you…" sighed Two.

He paused.

"And I think there's something else on your mind…"

Numbuh Five worked on the cone for a while before speaking…

"Numbuh Five thinks Kuki is acting strange…" she muttered. "She's been exercising, drinking sports drinks, lifting weights… Muffy Jenkins told me she's been kicking serious butt in gym class…

"Have you even gotten a good look at her? She must have put on ten pounds of muscle since Tuesday!"

"Numbuh 37 would be proud of her…" chuckled Two.

He remembered Numbuh 37 – he was a trainer at the Arctic Base when he and Kuki were cadets, the type of guy who always told you to give 110 effort to whatever you did…

"Okay, get this…" whispered Numbuh Five. "Mushi came to me yesterday, after she had dinner at her parents' house…

"Kuki ate spinach and broccoli… and then went for seconds…"

Numbuh Two gasped!

"That stuff is like poison…" he muttered. "When Numbuh Four ate one sprout…"

"I know…" sighed Numbuh Five. "They can make an operative forget she's a kid. But Kuki didn't seem to care. She was hugging her Rainbow Monkeys again right after dessert…"

"What did she eat for dessert?" asked Two in panic.

"Brownies…" replied Five.

"Thank goodness…" sighed Two.

"Don't you tell Numbuh One, by the way," cautioned Five. "He'd have Kuki vaccinated until her butt had more holes in it than a colander…"

"Well, we wouldn't want that…" sighed Two.

"It seems ever since that awful ordeal with the statue, Kuki has been getting stronger… more fit… more of a butt-whooper than ever," pondered Numbuh Five. "And frankly, Numbuh Five is worried…"

She ate the last of the cone.

"Worried so much that even ice cream doesn't help…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Blossom looked closely at the map.

"Okay guys," she said. "The third layer is only about fifty feet up there… time to ditch the weapons… All of them…"

Wolf sighed… He took off his sword and tossed it and his satchel to the side of a path. Numbuh One did the same with his equipment.

Blossom only had one mustard gun, but she tossed it as well.

"Okay team," said Numbuh One. "We'll soon see if Shangri-La lets us in, or whether this whole trip was a waste…"

As they walked forward, the weather suddenly got colder. Snow was on the ground!

A waterfall was to their left, feeding into a pool…

They stared at the pool and the waterfall for some time, as if it had some enchanted property…

Then a figure appeared on a stone under the waterfall…

It was a young girl, very beautiful, with blue skin, and pointed ears. She wore no clothing, using only her very long hair to cover herself.

She held a large lyre, made out of what looked like a turtle shell. She played a melody that was beautiful, but sad at the same time.

"Who…?" muttered Blossom.

"Some sort of spirit?" muttered Wolf.

The young girl looked at them, and spoke in a musical voice, while the music from the lyre echoed over the pool."

"_Heroes, listen, listen well. You must hear what I have to tell…_

"_The Mother weeps for she is sad… Evil lurks in places bad…"_

She paused.

"_Follow the Mother's tears… They are frozen with her fear…_

"_Enter the Mother's mouth, where you can see your youth…_

"_Descend to the Mother's heart, and find the realm of art…_

"_She will greet you there… Be brave, and don't beware…"_

The girl vanished.

They all stared for a minute…

"If that wasn't a sign, I don't know what was…" said Numbuh One.

They continued on…

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

"We're in unknown territory now," sighed Blossom. "I don't see any plateau… But no Shangri-La either…"

"Hold up…" said Numbuh One, peering ahead.

In front of them was a river that had been frozen solid by the cold…

They looked at it…

_Follow the Mother's tears… They are frozen with her fear…_

Wolf stepped on the ice to test it. It seemed pretty solid, so he motioned for them to follow. They treaded on the ice, following it upriver.

Eventually, the river led into a cave in a Cliffside, covered with ice. The ice was slick and shiny… almost like a mirror…

_Enter the Mother's mouth, where you can see your youth…_

They walked inside, where the ice gave way to a stone floor. It was dark inside…

Blossom blinked, and her eyes lit up like a flashlight.

They continued into the dark cave, until they came to a large rift. A stairway that had been carved out of the rock itself, with no handrail, unfortunately, led down…

_Descend to the Mother's heart, and find the realm of art…_

As they started to slowly walk down the stairway, they saw a light ahead.

As they reached the end of the stairway, the world exploded into light!

Before they knew it, the cave was gone, and the buildings of the most beautiful city they had ever seen were around them. The street they were on was solid gold, and the buildings to every side were carved from green crystal, set with huge diamonds, rubies, emeralds, and sapphires. Statues in the shape of mythical creatures, mostly oriental dragons, adorned the buildings and promenades, and cool fountains, also with a dragon theme, were prevalent.

"We're here…" muttered Blossom.

They looked around, and noticed something – for a city, there seemed to be a lack of people. It looked deserted.

"I wasn't expecting a parade, but…" started Wolf.

"This way, my children," said a female voice.

They turned, and saw the largest, most majestic temple they had ever seem. Made of jade and with a roof tiled with gold, it was an impressive sight.

They walked up to the front of the temple and looked up. There were four symbols above the door.

"Guys," said Wolf. "Those symbols… They represent Earth… Air… Fire… and Water."

"Just like the powers of Numbuh One's sword…" muttered Numbuh One.

"Your sword?" asked Wolf.

"The original Numbuh One's sword…" muttered Numbuh One.

The temple doors opened.

They walked in, and into a vast chamber. Jewels and gold were piled high amid statues of oriental dragons.

"Welcome, my children," said a voice.

A tall form appeared in the center of the room…

It was a woman, dressed in a white toga, with a golden headband and bare feet. She exuded both a matronly aura an aura of wisdom, and an aura of youth at the same time – while beautiful, her hips were very wide, as if she had clearly experienced childbirth several times. Despite her great beauty, a lingering sadness hung about her.

"I take it you're in charge here?" asked Blossom.

"Yes, my children," she answered. "I have lived in several places in my time, but now I rule Shangri-La…"

"Why do you call us your children?" asked Numbuh One. "You aren't our mother…"

The woman shook her head.

"I am everyone's mother in a way," she answered.

She smiled in a strange way, as if it hurt her face to smile.

"You may call me Gaea…"

**0**

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_**Coming up next…**_

_**The three operatives have met a being calling herself Gaea! Could it be the true Gaea – Mother Earth herself? If so, why is she sad? Why are her tears "frozen in fear"?**_

_**Find out next chapter. Also find out what is happening to Numbuh Three, as the Minerva Sisters return!**_

_**And if that weren't enough, the original Numbuh One's sword finally makes its decision!**_

_**So much is happening next chapter, you may have to get a seat belt to take it all in!**_


	19. Revelations and Decisions

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**Chapter Nineteen**

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**Revelations and Decisions**

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"You may call me Gaea…"

The three operatives were awestruck.

They had entered Shangri-La, and were now standing amid a king's ransom in treasures…

…and in front of them was a beautiful woman with a matronly look and attitude who called them her children, and called herself Gaea…

…a name associated with the Goddess of the Earth.

Mother Earth.

"Excuse me…" said Numbuh One, trying hard to be polite. "By Gaea, do you mean that you are _the _Gaea, as in the Mother of the Titans, the Spirit of the Living Earth, the…"

Gaea nodded. The three operatives shook in fear…

Even if they had been allowed to bring weapons, it would have hardly mattered. They'd never have dared raise one against this being.

"You are afraid," said Gaea, in a comforting voice. "Fear not, my children, I will not harm you… And I know why you come."

"Uhm, yes, your…" started Wolf.

He paused.

_How do you address a goddess? _he thought. _This was not in any etiquette book I ever read!_

"Well, ma'am," muttered Blossom, "we want… I mean we need… I mean we humbly _request…_"

"I know," said Gaea. "You seek the Ancient Tome…"

She gestured, and a large, leather-bound book floated off one of the shelves.

It floated into her hands.

"I will gladly give it to you," she said. "But I will give you something more valuable – information on the threat you are facing.

"For you see, the vile thing that Charon wants to unleash upon the Kids Next Door… its creation was partially my fault."

She paused.

"It is a burden I have carried for many millennia."

"The Wvuxic?" asked Numbuh One.

"Yes," replied Gaea. "First, you must know what it is. It is a type of creature called an abomination…"

They looked confused.

"Abominations aren't demons," she continued. "They're monsters, but they're special monsters.

"Abominations are what happens when the gods create, and make terrible mistakes doing so. Even the plans of the gods are not foolproof.

"Sometimes one of us tries to breathe life into clay, but the clay has terrible imperfections. A god might try to build on a heavenly forge, and his work may be sabotaged by some trickster. Or maybe a goddess's child is born stillborn, but the fetus rises as a foul undead thing.

"When an abomination is created, the gods gasp, and seek to banish the horrid creature to some secure prison. For all abominations are born insane, and with their divine blood, they are incredibly powerful."

Gaea bowed her head.

"As for the one I was responsible for, well, my experiences with husbands and lovers has never been good."

"Yeah…" muttered Blossom. "Your first husband was Uranus, God of the Sky, and he was the father of the Titans… and other creatures. But he rejected the others, and imprisoned them in the Underworld."

"Yes, I read about that," added Numbuh One. "You had more love for your children, so you convinced your oldest son, Chronos, to overthrow him."

Gaea nodded.

Wolf chimed in.

"And that led to an even greater conflict," he said. "Chronos refused to free them, so you cursed him so that _his _son would overthrow _him. _Eventually, his son Zeus did so."

"It was a long and terrible conflict," answered Gaea. "And after that, I had to oppose Zeus and his siblings myself to convince them to spare the Titans. I lost that struggle, but the Olympians could not destroy me, for doing so would have destroyed the Earth, and them with it.

"But more was to come. I was immortal, and I was still young as far as that went. I had several lovers over the course of the next several centuries.

"And even I was seduced by an evil force…

"I didn't know who the ravishing stranger was, and the name he gave me was clearly a lie. I didn't know until it was too late that the love he showed me was false…

"I discovered later that he was actually the Lord of Dark World…"

Numbuh One and Blossom stared at her…

The Minerva Sisters had told her about that being… The one who had granted Charon his powers.

"And soon I was carrying his child," continued Gaea. "But he was long gone by the time it was born.

"It was born a hideous thing. My peers called it 'Wvuxic', which is a curse in the Language Primordial. By this time, I knew the identity of the father, and didn't have second thoughts about banishing the creature to a dark prison.

"It escaped once since then, when a foolish wizard summoned it to the site of present-day Southern California. Back then, that area was a lush and beautiful forest. But by the time a group of four powerful heroes sent it back to where it came from, all that remained was the desert that would be called Death Valley centuries later. And the destruction caused me such pain…"

"How did they defeat it?" asked Wolf.

"The four heroes were children, much like the Kids Next Door," answered Gaea. "But they had a potent gift… They could communicate with and befriend dragons!

"They confronted the beast mounted on the four Lords of Dragonkind, four great wyrms who commanded my greatest powers: Air, Fire, Earth, and Water. Dragons are the most powerful of all elemental spirits, and their powers over the elemental energies are second to none. After a lengthy battle, the Wvuxic was banished to its prison again."

The Ancient Tome floated from Gaea's hands and landed in Numbuh One's arms.

"Keep the three artifacts safe, my children," she warned. "If Charon gets ahold of them, more of my lands might be laid to waste, and the pain I will suffer from their destruction will be unbearable…

"If my dark child does resurface, you must stop it – even if it means slaying it."

She closed her eyes.

"Simply walk from this building, and you will reach your ship in minutes. The belongings you left behind are already there."

"Good luck, my children."

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

The M.O.S.Q.U.I.T.T.O.H. shot into the evening sky.

"The spawn of Mother Earth and a lord of demons…" muttered Numbuh One. "Heavy…"

"Any way you look at it," said Blossom, "we may be in deep do-do. I mean, me, Bubbles, and Buttercup may have fought some nasty monsters in the past, but one that turned a forest into Death Valley? What would are chances be if Charon actually summons it?"

"I'll tell you what they are," replied Wolf. "If Darth Vader is willing to lend us the Death Star, we _might _have a slim chance. If not, the chances go from slim to a little better than nonexistent."

"Then we don't have a choice," said Numbuh One. "We have to try our hardest to make sure that the Wvuxic is _never _summoned!

"And if that means throwing all three of the artifacts into the sun, so be it!"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

It was seven o'clock when the craft landed in the Sector V Treehouse.

"Mission accomplished, everyone!" exclaimed Numbuh One, as the three of them walked into the common room.

Numbuhs Two, Four, and Five were sitting on the couches with worried looks on their faces. Numbuh Four was holding a piece of raw meat against his eye.

"Numbuh Four, what happened to you?" asked Numbuh Four.

"Kuki needed a sparing partner," he groaned. "I said I'd go easy on her. A word of advice… If she wants to spar again, _don't _go easy on her!"

Numbuh One gave a strange look.

"Uh, where is she?" he asked.

"Exercise room," mumbled Numbuh Five.

Numbuh One gave another strange look.

He walked down the hallway to the exercise room, and heard the sound of panting.

He looked inside. Numbuh Three was dressed in spandex and a headband, doing crunches at the weight machine. Sweat was pouring down her face. Numbuh One could tell she was much more muscular than she was a few days ago.

"Thirty-six," she panted, "thirty-seven… Hi, Numbuh One! Thirty-eight…"

Numbuh One slowly walked back to the lounge.

"Uh, any reason why she's on the health kick?" he asked.

"She's been like this ever since we busted out of Charon's lair," answered Numbuh Five. "Exercising, jogging, pumping iron, learning new ways to fight, kicking serious butt in gym class… Something is up… This is NOT just a mood swing…"

A beeper flashed on the console.

Numbuh Two got up and looked at the screen.

"Uh, chief?" he said. "We've got three flying objects coming in fast…"

"Who?" asked Numbuh One, somewhat surprised. "Anyone dangerous?"

Numbuh Two laughed.

"It's the Minerva Sisters!" he exclaimed.

"Really?" asked Numbuh One.

He looked down the hallway…

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Five minutes later, three colored unicorns flew into the main hangar, mounted by the three young witches.

"Welcome back," said Numbuh One, as Candy, Randy, and Bambi dismounted. "Sleeping okay?"

"Pretty much," said Randy. "Mum and dad couldn't let go of us for days! They were hugging and kissing us, and insisting that we eat until we got sick… It took us forever to convince them to let us come here tonight."

"Anyway," said Candy, "we thought we'd come and see how you were doing with Charon…"

"We're still on guard," sighed Bambi. "We're pretty sure he wants to…"

She paused with a shudder.

"Don't worry," said Numbuh Five. "We won't let him banish you again."

"Uh, girls?" asked Numbuh One. "how good are you with hexes and curses?"

"I'm an expert at them!" laughed Randy. "I've put quite a few of them on these two!"

Candy and Bambi frowned.

"As soon as I learn the spell youkeep usingto turn me into a frog, Randy," growled Bambi, "I'm using it on you! And I won't turn you back for _twice _as long as the last time you did it!"

Randy chuckled.

"You shouldn't have taped over _Zach Bell _when I told you not to!" she answered.

She chuckled again.

"I was always the best when it came to curses," she said. "Why?"

"Well…" muttered Numbuh One, nervously. "One of our team is acting strange, and we think it may be due to a curse, and we wondered if you could…"

"…take a look at her?" asked Randy. "Sure! Where is she?"

They started to walk towards the common room.

"Numbuh Four, is she in her room?" asked Numbuh One.

"Well, it's hard to tell…" muttered Four.

He opened the door to her room, where a mountain of stuffed animals dominated the center.

"Numbuh Three, are you somewhere in there?" he asked.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Numbuh Three lay on her bed while Randy looked at her with a pair of spectacles.

"Look," said Kuki with a smile, "I appreciate this, but there's really nothing wrong with me…"

"Well, let's make sure, Kuki," she said. "Now, look deep into my eyes…"

"Oh please!" laughed Numbuh Three. "Are you trying to hypnotize me? I can't be…"

Randy's deep, blue eyes started to glow…

Kuki fell asleep, and started to snore.

"Now let's see…" said Randy.

She waved her hand, and a device resembling an odd magnifying glass appeared in her hand.

She slowly looked over Numbuh Three with it…

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Half an hour later…

"What is she doing in there?" asked Numbuh Four, nervously.

"Be patient," urged Candy. "The number of different curses and hexes number in the tens of thousands, and identifying the right one can take awhile…"

Then Randy came out holding a clipboard.

"She'll be asleep for another hour," she said. "And she's having lovely dreams. Anyway, I have to ask a few questions…"

"We'll answer any that we can," answered Numbuh One.

"Okay, first, how's her diet?" asked Randy.

"Better than the rest of ours," answered Numbuh One.

"What was the last retal movie she saw with someone her own age?" asked Randy.

Everyone looked at Numbuh Four.

"Uh, _Spirited Away,_" he said, "and it wasn't as bad as most of her suggestions."

"Uh huh," continued Randy. "Favorite pizza topping?"

"Italian sausage," answered Numbuh Five.

"I see," muttered Randy. "No accounting for taste… Does she have any problems with her parents?"

"Not that we know of," answered Numbuh One. "Her sister, however…"

Randy looked at them.

"Let's just say that Mushi is a big pain in the you-know-where."

"Okay," muttered Randy. "Has she come into contact with any evil Hindu artifacts lately?"

They all stared at her in fright.

"Uh, Randy?" said Bambi. "Maybe you should have asked that one first…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

A lengthy explanation later…

"Well, it's obvious what's happening to Kuki," answered Randy.

"Can she be cured?" asked Numbuh Four, in panic.

"No," answered Randy. "There's no real cure, but…"

"**NOOOOO!"** screamed Numbuh Four.

"I wasn't finished!" said Randy. "Calm down!"

Numbuh Four calmed down.

"Numbuh Three has been given what is called The Kiss of Kali," said Randy. "As you said, her soul was enslaved by one of Kali's artifacts… But it wasn't by Kali's order.

"Kali had nothing to do with it, but since she created that statue, she was partially responsible.

"So when she found out, she sent an avatar to Earth to give Kuki a kiss, and grant a boon. It's basically an... well, anapology."

Everyone stared at her.

"Hold on," said Numbuh Five. "Numbuh Five thought that Kali was evil!"

"She is," answered Randy. "_Incredibly_ evil. However, her cult's most important rule was set in stone, and no one using her influence dared disobey it…

"Harming a woman was NOT allowed. Harming _anything _female was not allowed. When Charon used that thing against Kuki, it was a blasphemy.

"Kali used to be a powerful goddess, but lack of worshippers has left her too weak to punish Charon. So in response, she aided the victim, rather than punish the perpetrator.

"The Kiss of Kali is a boon, not a curse. It has given her great potential. Kuki will keep getting stronger and more fit, until she's ten times the warrior she used to be…

"…maybe even more."

"Is there any catch?" asked Numbuh One.

"One small catch," answered Randy. "Kuki is now considered an ally of the goddess. She doesn't have to truly do anything to that matter, but if she opposes a true worshipper of Kali, her muscles will turn rigid, ensuring her doom… But since there _are _no worshippers of Kali anymore, that ishardly a threat."

"We'll keep her away from India, just to be safe," said Numbuh Five.

Numbuh One looked at the room where his teammate slept.

So, Charon's plan had backfired in a big way…

So what would happen next?

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In her office at the Moonbase, Numbuh 362 was about to contact Sector V…

Then the whole room erupted in a blinding light!

She gazed at the object on the table across the room.

"It's time…" she whispered.

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"**Incoming message!" **shouted the mainframe. **"Incoming message!"**

Everyone ran to the mainframe, including the slightly weary Numbuh Three.

Before Numbuh One could even reach it, Numbuh 362's face appeared on it.

All the operatives saluted.

"Commander!" he said. "Good news! The Ancient Tome is in our possession!"

"Really?" asked Numbuh 362. "That is good news… Well, I have good news too…

"The sword is ready to make its final decision…"

They all stared.

"Numbuhs One through Five," she said, "take the Ancient Tome, and come to Moonbase right now… We do not want to keep it waiting.

"End transmission."

The screen blinked out.

Numbuh One looked at his watch. It was nine PM.

"Wolf, Blossom," he said. "Take some money out of the recreation funds and take the Sisters out for pizza. The five of us have business…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

The Moonbase was the nerve center of Global Command…

But now, it seemed to be silenced by an uncanny aura…

Numbuh 362 held the Ancient Tome under her arm, as she led the team to her office.

Inside, the light from the sword that was held by the original Numbuh One was glowing like a miniature sun. The numbers one through five could be seen on its blade.

"Okay people, you're all here," she said. "And the sword is about to choose. Let me say at this point that its decision is _final. _No complaints from anyone."

The light died down.

A small whirlwind surrounded the blade, and the number three shattered.

Numbuh Three shrugged.

A cloud of dust surrounded the blade, and the four shattered. Numbuh Four shook his head, clearly disappointed.

A blob of water surrounded the blade, and the two shattered.

"Phew!" said Numbuh Two, wiping his brow. Personally, he didn't want the responsibility.

They all looked…

It was down to Numbuh One and Numbuh Five, the two senior members of the team…

Flames erupted around the whole sword! It glowed fiery red!

And when they died down, the number one was gone, and the five had been etched on it just over the hilt, in gold.

Abigail was clearly surprised.

"Well, Numbuh Five?" said Numbuh One.

Numbuh Five paused for a minute…

She slowly walked up to the table…

Carefully, she reached for the hilt. The weapon sparkled with golden motes…

She grasped the hilt, and energy surged through her body! It wasn't pain, but an invigorating, powerful feeling of strength!

In that instant, she felt the howl of a gale… the grinding of the tectonic plates… the movements of the ocean currents… the raw fury of a volcano…

"The sword has chosen you, Numbuh Five," said Numbuh 362, softly. "What you choose to do with it… is up to you."

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Wolf, Blossom, and the Sisters spent the night, and Numbuh Five slept soundly, the sheathed sword by her side. She dreamed of strange creatures…

First their were airy sylphs with gossamer wings and silken gowns. Then, fiery efreets, demonic looking and covered with flame. Then came gnomelike creatures, with grey, wart-covered skin and clothing that looked dirty from manual labor. Finally, lovely mermaids leapt out of the sea and sung enchanting songs…

And then, all of these elemental spirits turned to Numbuh Five and bowed before her, as if acknowledging a new master…

Numbuh Five shivered…

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

The next morning, Numbuh Three was busy cooking in the kitchen before anyone woke up.

As Numbuh Five went in, she reached for the cereal…

"NO!" shouted Numbuh Three. "Put that away! The Chosen One deserves better!"

"Chosen One?" chuckled Numbuh Five. "Kuki, you don't have to cook for me…"

"I insist!" replied Numbuh Three, piling eggs onto a plate.

She pushed eggs, bacon, and French toast in front of Numbuh Five.

"Enjoy!" she laughed. "Syrup? Butter? Jam? Powdered sugar?

"Just syrup…" muttered Five.

_What's next? _thought Numbuh Five. _If Numbuh One asks me to lead the team, I'm not gonna do it!_

After everyone else had come in, a conversation started.

"So, Numbuh Five," asked Numbuh One. "Have you found out what that thing can do?"

"Yeah!" asked Numbuh Four. "Can you fly and shoot laser beams out of your eyes?"

Numbuh Five looked at the sword at her hip.

"Well," she answered, "it seems to be whispering in my ear, telling me what it's capable of… So far I think…"

A siren blared.

"**Priority mission alert!" **it screamed. **"Priority mission alert!"**

"Here we go…" she said.

They all ran to the mainframe room again.

They turned on the screen…

…and a sinister form appeared on it.

"CREE?" shouted Numbuh Five.

"Hello Abigail," chuckled Cree. "How are the were-poodle bites healing?"

"We have GOT to find out how she's using this frequency…" sighed Numbuh One. "This is getting out of hand…"

"All right Numbuh One, I'll make you a deal…" she said. "No insults from either us. Just hear me out…"

She paused.

"I want to settle our differences… fairly," she said.

"Fairly?" asked Numbuh One. "Since when do you play fair?"

"Maybe because she found out that cheating doesn't work," added Numbuh Two.

"I'm making a challenge," said Cree. "I want to face my sister in a fair fight… No help from either of our allies…

"If I win, I get the three artifacts… If she wins, I'll turn myself in to Global Command."

"Come on, Cree," said Numbuh Four, "only an idiot would…"

"Numbuh Five accepts!" shouted Numbuh Five.

"Numbuh Five…" said Numbuh One.

Cree closed her eyes and smiled.

"But some ground rules!" added Numbuh Five. "Each of us is only allowed one weapon!"

Cree stared at her.

"Fine…" she said.

"And if you even think of a double cross…" added Five.

"Wouldn't think of it, sis," said Cree. "I'll meet you at Smiling Rock, outside of town, at four o'clock.

"Don't be late…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

"Only one weapon?" chuckled Charon. "She's nuts! She's forgetting that your armor counts as one, and it has multiple functions!"

"I know…" laughed Cree.

"Well," said Charon, with a smile. "Make sure to capture Abigail after you pound her to the dust. We need her for the ceremony… The Wvuxic will savor her soul…"

Cree laughed.

"At long last, my little brat of a sister will be gone," she said. "And the Kids Next Door will be pounded flat… flat, **flat, FLAT!"**

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_**Coming up next:**_

**_Numbuh Five may have the powers of the elements themselves in her hands, but can she use them to defeat magic of pure evil? The titanic battle between her and Cree is coming next chapter! And if that weren't enough, a special guest appears! A "Confrontation" is coming up next._**


	20. Confrontation

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**Chapter Twenty**

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**Confrontation**

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An armored vehicle plodded through the forest outside of town.

**(Kids Next Door B.E.E.T.L.E.: Ballistic Exoskeleton Endowed Tank Lumbers Effortlessly)**

Watching the vehicle from a safe distance were several of the driver's allies…

Her team, Sector V…

Their allies, Sector P…

The Dogs of War…

And the Minerva Sisters.

Eventually, a hatch opened on it, and Numbuh Five climbed out. She looked at the large rock formation called Smiling Rock, so named because it looked like it was making a smug smile.

She pushed a button on a small remote, and the B.E.E.T.L.E. was covered with thick shields. Then she hid the remote in her clothes.

She touched the sword by her side. It had continually been communicating with her, and she knew how to use it…

…at least she thought she did.

"All right, sis," she said. "I'm here. So where are ya?"

"I'm already here, little Abby," said Cree's voice.

A strange portal appeared, and Cree stepped out.

"I was afraid you might chicken out…"

"No way…" said Numbuh Five.

"So where are the artifacts?" asked Cree.

"In there," said Numbuh Five, pointing to the tank. "But you won't get in there without the key, and you'll never get it off me unless I'm unconscious. So unless you win this fight, you won't be getting them."

"I'm fine with that," answered Cree, sweetly.

_And once I pummel you to a pulp, _she thought, _I'm leaving with them, and with you!_

"Remember, one weapon," said Five.

"Got one…" said Cree.

She gestured, and her golden Battle Ready Armor appeared, covering her body.

"Fine," said Five, drawing the sword. "And here's mine!"

"I didn't know you liked to swordfight!" laughed Cree. "Fine… let's go!"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

"I don't like this," said Numbuh Two. "Something tells me that Cree never intended to fight fair…"

"Of course she isn't going to fight fair!" said Numbuh One, rolling his eyes. "When have you ever known her to fight fair?"

"That's the whole problem…" grumbled Buttercup. "We're the good guys, so we have to fight fair. But everyone who we go up against… fights dirty!"

"Tell me about it…" said Wolf. "When I was in the normal Kids Next Door, we went up against a guy used something called a… what did he call that thing that had us glued to the floor?"

"Pre-teen gravity enhancer…" said Jackal.

"Yeah," said Wolf, "that's what it was… It created waves of energy that made you too heavy to even crawl, but it only affected those who were under thirteen…"

"Remind you to introduce you to a guy named Mojo Jojo," said Blossom. "He turned us into dogs once…"

"People, we can swap stories later," said Numbuh One. "Cree likely intends to cheat…

"But I think our girl can handle this…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

"All right sis…" said Cree, "let's see how good you are with that thing!"

She gestured, and energy formed on her right hand…

A sharp blade sprouted from her wrist.

"See?" she said. "I got one too! And it's bigger than yours…"

She swung at Numbuh Five…

**CLANG!**

As Numbuh Five followed though with her own swing, half of Cree's sword fell on the ground!

"Now it ain't," said Numbuh Five.

Cree looked at the remains of her sword…

"Oo-kay…" she said, dropping the rest of it. "I guess you _are_ pretty good with it…

"But you know the old saying… You don't take a knife to a gunfight!"

She gestured, and two blasters appeared on her wrists…

Another slash from Numbuh Five's sword lopped them clean off.

Numbuh Five gave her a wicked grin…

She slashed with the sword again, and Cree was thrown backwards!

She got up and looked at her armor. A large scratch was on the breastplate…

"Strike three…" said Numbuh Five.

"Abby…" said Cree, "I am really starting to lose my patience…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Watching the fight and scratching his chin was Charon.

"Say…" he said. "Is that the sword I traded to them to get her released?"

He rubbed his chin again.

"They figured out how it worked, huh? I never did manage to analyze that thing…"

He went up to console.

"Focus on the weapon being used by Abigail Lincoln," he said. "Analyze enchantments and capabilities..."

A bar appeared on the screen.

"**Ten minutes to complete analysis," **said the message on the screen.

_Ten minutes? _thought Charon. _The average time is two._

_This could mean one of two things…_

_Either incredibly obscure enchantments…_

_Or incredibly powerful ones…_

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Cree got up.

She waved her hand, and the dent on the armor vanished.

"You know, Crabigail…" she said.

"Quit callin' me that!" shouted Numbuh Five.

"…this new suit of armor came with a lot of lethal powers," continued Cree, ignoring her. "I was going to be nice seeing as you were my sister, and spare you the unpleasantries…"

She held up her hand, and it glowed.

"But since it's starting to look more and more like you've learned a few tricks, I'm going to take you down using every vile, disgusting method I can!"

"More disgusting than the case of zits you got after you ate that box of chocolates that Maurice gave you?" asked Numbuh Five.

"_Stop bringing that up!" _shouted Cree.

Then the ground under Five started to rumble…

And then a _huge _slug burst out of the ground and swallowed her whole!

"HA, HA, HA, HA, HA, HA!" laughed Cree.

She went up to the slug and leaned on it.

"You know, sis…" she said. "I don't know if you can hear me right now, but let me tell you something… A lot of times I made up lists of how I could finish you off… But I gotta admit, 'feed to slug' was never on one of them!

"Anyway, you just make yourself comfy in there, and we can…"

She paused…

A loud rumbling started to come from inside the slug…

Then it started to expand…

Cree backed up, as the slug looked at her stupidly, and started to blow up like a balloon! After five seconds, it had swelled to three times its size…

And then, in a burst of slime, it exploded!

Cree had been knocked over, and she was covered with slug-slime. She looked up, and saw Numbuh Five, hovering in the air…

She slowly floated to the ground.

"How did you…" started Cree.

"...do that?"interrupted Five. "I created a bubble of air around me and made it expand. I could have done that to bust out of any enclosed space that wasn't airtight.

"When the power of Air is harnessed right, it can be deadly, Cree. You take it for granted because it's what keeps you alive with every breath, but hurricane winds can flatten cities and sink ships…

"And Air isn't the only element I can control… Let's give you a little run down… There's Fire…"

As Cree stared in disbelief, Five raised the sword, and she was engulfed in an inferno!

As she got up, a powerful fireball shot at her, and then _she _was covered with fire! She screamed as it burned!

She panted for breath… Five's fire stopped.

"Don't like Fire?" she asked. "How bout Water? I can do that too…"

She raised the sword again, and she was surrounded by a bubble of water…

"You remember how," said Five's voice, "when dad taught you how to swim, you were afraid, and he always told you, 'A little water can't hurt'?

"I got news for ya, sis… That's one of the many lies that parents tell kids…"

A gushing stream of Water shot at Cree, and she was thrown back ten feet!

She sputtered…

"You know what I'm sayin'?" said Numbuh Five. "Lies that they tell kids? Like when they say that your face will freeze if you make funny faces too much?

"Anyway, the power of Earth is pretty potent too…"

She waved the sword, and the ground around Cree came alive! She shrieked as stone started wrapping around her!

She started to struggle…

"Yep…" said Five. "I've learned a few tricks… How to control the four elements of nature. I'm a practical alchemist. So anyway, unless that armor makes you strong enough to break out a straitjacket made of granite, I'd say…"

Cree howled, and the stone shattered!

She fell on one knee.

"Okay… maybe it does…" said Five.

"Abigail…" said Cree, "this was just annoying at first… But now you've made me _mad!"_

She gestured, and two objects resembling Tommy guns formed over her hands!

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

"Cree, you idiot!" shouted Charon. "We need her alive! Don't use _that _weapon!"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Cree either didn't hear him or simply didn't care. She opened fire, and several rounds of hot energy bursts shot into Numbuh Five!

At first, she was too blinded by rage to notice that her foe wasn't falling… Or even staggering.

But after emptying both cartridges, she looked through the smoke, and saw that her sister had crouched defensively…

And strangely, she had turned into a statue of crystal…

Numbuh Five turned back to normal, and looked at her.

"Another good thing about being able to control the elements," she said. "I can turn one substance into another… I can even change my own flesh into diamond, something that even a lasermachine gun can't crack…"

She stared at Cree.

"Changing flesh…" she said, scratching her head. "Now that's an idea. Hey Cree, why not I just turn _you _to stone?"

She held up her hand, and it glowed.

"You wouldn't dare…" said Cree, in fright.

She backed up.

"Naw, this will be much better than havin' you decommissioned," said Five. "You'd look great in the trophy hall in the Moonbase…

"And even better, it'll be a deterrent… Just seeing you like that will keep stupid adults from torturing kids! They'll wonder… 'could I be next?'"

"You don't have the guts…" snarled Cree.

She pointed her finger at Five and blasted a beam of energy… And Five knocked it away with the sword.

"All right, fine, you _do _have the guts…" said Cree. "But listen, Abby, it doesn't have to end like this…"

_All I have to do now is hold her off for one more minute,_ she thought,_ and this armor's most powerful weapon will be ready to fire…_

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

"Uh, guys?" said Numbuh Four. "She's bluffing, right?"

"Of course she's bluffing!" answered Numbuh One.

He watched his teammate advance on Cree.

"Well, at least I… _think _she's bluffing…"

Numbuh One paused.

The Numbuh Five he knew would never do something like that to anyone, least of all to her sister…

But if she was acting, frankly, she deserved an Oscar…

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

"**Analysis complete," **said the message on the screen.

"About time…" muttered Charon. "Now let's see here…"

He looked over the analysis.

"Wiccan enchantment?" he muttered. "Channels the power of…"

He turned pale…

"CREE!" he shouted. "Get out of there!"

"This isn't a good time…" whispered back Cree.

"Cree, listen to me…" said Charon. "Abort the mission now! You can't beat her!"

"Of course I can!" whispered Cree. "My armor's secret weapon…"

"…will do squat, Cree!" shouted Charon. "That sword will find a way to protect her! It's channeling Gaea's power!"

"Gaea?" said Cree in surprise. "Isn't she…"

"Mother Earth, Cree," said Charon. "The Goddess of Nature. Your sister is now more or less her avatar.

"Fighting your sister now would be like trying to fight a hurricane… or an erupting volcano! You can't defeat Nature itself Cree!

"And I will _not _bail you out if you are captured again!"

As she said this, three walls of rock shot up from the ground, one behind her, and two to each side…

She was cornered.

"Tell ya what, sis," said Five. "I'll give you one minute to consider it… Either give up and throw that BRA on the ground… Or I make you into a paperweight… forever."

Cree looked in fear.

She clicked a switch on her thumb…

_She who fails and runs away… _she thought, _lives to win another day…_

"Okay Abby…" she said. "You win… I'll turn myself in. Just back off, and I'll ditch the armor…"

She slowly removed the helmet and threw it on the ground.

_When's it gonna kick in? _she thought. _If I have to take off the gauntlets, I really WILL have to surrender!_

"Keep, goin'…" said Five, who hadn't lowered her hand.

Cree tossed the breastplate to the ground.

"All of it…" warned Numbuh Five.

Cree doffed the skirt.

She slowly started to reach for the left gauntlet.

_Now or never… _she thought, closing her eyes.

A black hole started to form behind her…

"What?" said Numbuh Five. "HEY!"

She lunged at Cree.

Then a group of demonic hands reached out of the portal and grabbed Cree, pulling her inside.

"Another time, Crabigail!" shouted her voice.

The portal slammed shut.

"Nuts…" said Numbuh Five, kicking the pieces of the Battle Ready Armor.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Later...

"So… uh…" said Numbuh Three. "You weren't… really gonna turn her to stone, were you?"

"Tempting as it might have been, no," answered Numbuh Five. "I was gonna draw all the air out of her lungs in one rapid stroke. It would have knocked her out cold."

Numbuh Two and Fox were looking at Cree's armor. Fox scratched his head.

"Guys, I have no idea how this thing works," he said. "Which, I believe, is a phrase I have never before uttered in my entire life!"

"It's obviously magical Battle Ready Armor," said Blossom. "Charon likely made an enchanted version based on the original design."

"Hey, step aside, people!" said Bambi. "Magical weapons and armaments are my specialty…"

She looked at it.

"Although I have to admit, ones with built-in machine guns and flamethrowers aren't all that common…"

"We have a while," said Numbuh One. "Charon likely won't make another attempt soon…"

"I'll say!" laughed Snowball. "I can imagine the look on his face… Probably similar to the way I looked when Mojo yanked my tail!"

"You mean like this?" asked Bubbles.

She grabbed her tail and pulled it. Snowball yelped.

"That's not funny…" said Snowball.

"I find it strange that cats have tails," said Buttercup. "What purpose do they serve?"

"At least we're not like dumb dogs who chase them all the time," said Snowball. "I mean, what would they do if they caught their tails? Bury them?"

"I'd still like to know what a dog would ever do if he caught the car he was chasing…" said Numbuh Two.

Bambi was looking over the armor.

"Ooh," she pouted. "This would be so much easier if we had the wands…"

Randy and Candy sulked.

"Wands?" asked Numbuh Five.

"We used to be able to focus our magic through three special sympathetic objects," said Candy. "They looked like rods… wands. Much stronger than those toy batons we've been using. But that darn Charon took them when he banished us, and now we can't do half the magic we used to!"

"I'm sure you'll find them," assured Numbuh Three.

"If he didn't destroy them…" muttered Randy.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Charon sat with his head in his hands.

"Well, forget about getting back those artifacts," he muttered. "Give up any chance of using her as a sacrifice… She's just too powerful…"

"Boss," asked Cree. "Isn't there… any way to beat her?"

Charon looked at her.

"Let me explain something to you Cree," he said. "The Numbuh Five you saw in that battle was Gaea's _trainee. _She was a beginner.

"She'll learn fast, becoming able to harness even greater elemental energy. Soon, the entire natural balance will heed her…

"And we aren't safe either… She'll be able to send the very costal winds to search for us… Tell the clouds to look down for us… Question the spirits inside every natural landmark… Eventually, she'll find us, and bring a whole army of Kids Next Door to our front door!

"The only place that's completely safe from Gaea's magic is a place where no elements exist, including air. And we cannot fight her in a vacuum, because we wouldn't survive…"

Cree thought for a minute.

"Boss…" she said. "I got an idea… what if we tried to take the sword from her?"

Charon looked at her.

"Easier said than done," he said. "It would likely scream to her for help if you tried to take it while she were sleeping or in the shower, and she doesn't have to hold it to use it…"

"Well, listen," said Cree. "I know someone who Abigail used to have a crush on… He works for my group now, but Abby never got over him! If we brought him into this, there just might be a chance that he would gain her trust enough to steal it…"

Charon rubbed his chin.

"Numbuh Five would actually trust a member of your group?" he asked.

"Trust me," said Cree. "She used to be gaga over him. And once she lets her defenses slip even the slightest…"

"Well…" muttered Charon. "I guess any plan is better than no plan… What's this guy's name?"

Cree picked up a cell phone.

"His name is Maurice," she said, "and trust me, he'd love to meet you…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

In a house not far from the Sector V Treehouse, the thirteen-year-old in question was engaged in a monumental task…

…making a sandwich.

"Let's see…" he said. "Roast beef, ham, turkey... more roast beef...sliced chicken, salami, pastrami, Canadian bacon…"

He paused as he put it together.

"Swiss, cheddar, Monterey Jack, lettuce, tomatoes, pickles…"

He looked in the refrigerator.

"We're out of Grey Poupon?" he mused. "Oh well…"

He put the last slice of bread on the sandwich.

"Worthy of Dagwood himself…" he said.

As he walked into the living room, the cell phone on the coffee table started to ring.

He looked at the sandwich in one of his hands and the soda in the other…

Then he made a running leap, and in mid leap, set the huge sandwich on the table…

It barely wobbled.

He flicked open the phone.

"Y'ello?" he said.

He paused.

"Cree? Where have you been? Everyone's been worried…"

"I'm working for someone new, Maurice, and things have gotten worse," she said. "That bratty sister of mine just learned a few tricks, and she could threaten the whole cause…"

"I see…" said Maurice. "Sounds serious…"

"You bet it is," said Cree. "My new boss and I need your help. You're likely the only one who Abigail won't try to beat up…"

Maurice chuckled.

"Yeah, Numbuh Five seems to have some dumb crush on me," he said. "What, you want me to sweet talk her? I can do that… Does this involve turning on her later?"

He gave an evil laugh…

"That's what I like about you, Maurice," said Cree, "you're a go-getter. "We'll meet at Meeting Place B-4 at six PM. My new boss will be there. See you later…"

Maurice's expression turned to one of concern as he hung up the phone…

He wrapped up the sandwich, and went downstairs to his room…

_If only she knew, _he thought with a smirk.

She didn't know, almost nobody did… Not even the Dogs of War…

Maurice was once in Numbuh Five's unit, and one of the best KND operatives of his time. Recently, on his thirteenth birthday, most thought he had been decommissioned… And even worse, recruited to Cree's side…

But Global Command had many levels, and even the Privileged Ones had levels. Maurice was never truly decommissioned at all… He remained a KND – in secret.

Simply put, he was a double agent.

Almost nobody knew about this secret enclave of teenage Kids Next Door, except the highest officials of Global Command. Shortly after Maurice had seemingly been recruited by Cree, his first mission as such was a success. He destroyed the teenager's chicken pox cannon, and even Cree believed that it was the work of normal KND. Maurice told Numbuh Five of his true affiliation, and she was sworn to secrecy.

Even now, folks like him helped Global Command keep one step ahead of teenage plots…

And it seemed it was time for that to happen again.

He sat at his computer…

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Numbuh 362 walked down a hallway of the Moonbase with Numbuh 86 behind her. The Head of Decommissions read from a clipboard.

"A few requests, sir," she said. "I mean ma'am… Sector M requires new flackjackets…"

"They go through them so fast…" muttered 362.

"Trouble in Sector B's hometown," continued 86. "That councilman Les Wynan keeps saying the Treehouse is an, as he puts it, 'ugly eyesore'…"

"Him again…" muttered 362. "That Les Wynan should do more thinkin' and less whinin'! Tell Sector B to keep an eye on him – he might be trouble…"

"Sector E wants…" started Numbuh 86.

"Tell them that the answer is still NO!" shouted 362.

She frowned.

"Do something nice for someone, and they'll expect it every time…" she grumbled.

"Anyway…"

A beeper on her hip went off. She looked at it.

"Enough, Numbuh 86," she said. "I'll be in my office, and I don't want to be disturbed for anything less than a Class-Eight emergency!"

She went into her office and locked the door.

She turned on a monitor.

"Sir," said Maurice, as he appeared. "Something's up. Cree called me – something about wanting me to meet her new boss…"

"Really?" answered the Commander. "Well, that's interesting… Cree's new boss has been giving us a lot of trouble lately…"

A hurried explanation later…

"Heavy…" said Maurice. "What should I do?"

"Well, go to that meeting," she answered. "But keep an avenue of escape handy. Don't agree to anything yet… Infiltration of this organization may be dangerous…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Six PM.

Meeting Place B-4 was actually a record store, or more appropriately, the back room in it.

Maurice knew where to go. He simply walked in and entered the back room.

"Hi!" said Cree, meeting him at the door with a kiss. She was wearing her normal street clothes – the armor would take some time to replace.

"So where's this guy you want me to meet?" asked Maurice.

"I'm already here, young man," said Charon's voice. "Maurice, wasn't it?"

Maurice turned and saw Charon. His blood turned cold.

"So you are?" he asked.

"Charon's the name," he said. "And I heard you might be interested in joining our little group. Cree's sister has become a problem…"

Maurice paused.

"And what do I have to do to join?" he asked.

"It's easy," said Charon. "Just agree to serve me, and it will be done…"

Maurice stared at him.

"Go on, sweetie!" urged Cree. "Watch this…"

She gestured, and flames flew from her hand.

"That's nothing!" she said. "Ever since I joined this guy, I've been stronger than I ever was!"

"Indeed," said Charon. "All it takes is for you to say it…"

Maurice paused again.

"Can you…" he started. "Can you give me until tomorrow to think it over?"

Charon shrugged.

"I'm in no rush…" he said.

Maurice turned and walked out the door. Cree looked confused. She followed.

"Maurice!" she called, as he walked outside. "What's wrong? It's a great opportunity!"

Maurice turned and held her.

"Cree," he said, "I'm telling you this because I'm a friend, not because I'm an ally…

"You may have made a big mistake…"

"What mistake?" said Cree. "Nothing bad has happened to me!"

"You only think that," said Maurice. "Tell me, have you looked in a mirror lately?"

Cree paused.

"Uh…" she said. "Actually, Charon told me to only use his mirrors…"

"Figures…" said Maurice. "Here's some advice. Go home, and look in a regular mirror. If everything is normal, fine…

"But if everything isn't, find a book about vampires, and read about them and mirrors. It will explain it."

Cree stood dumbfounded as he walked away…

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Cree walked into her parents' house and ran up the stairs. She headed for the bathroom.

_Look in the mirror… _she thought. _What on earth was he taking about?_

Then she looked in the mirror…

Fear crept into her from what she saw…

…or rather, what she _didn't. _

She took some deep breaths.

_Vampires? _she thought.

She took a credit card from her purse and jimmied open the lock to her sister's room. She was certain to have a book on that subject somewhere…

She looked over the bookshelves.

She took down a large book: _Vampires, Werewolves, and Other Scary Stuff; A Documentary. _

She opened the book and turned to the index.

_Here we are, _she thought. _Mirrors…_

She turned to the page and started reading.

_One unmistakable trait of the vampire is that they cast no reflections in mirrors and other sheer surfaces. The cause for this feature, is the fact that they have lost their…_

Her eyes widened in horror…

She dropped the book…

"Abigail…" she moaned.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

One hour later, Numbuh Five walked into the house.

"What a day…" she muttered. "I get new powers, get into a fight with my sister, get swallowed by a slug – I can't believe she did that – and now the hamsters go nuts… Gonna have to crash here tonight…"

She opened the refrigerator.

"Wonder if we have any more of that leftover meatloaf…"

"Uh, Abigail?" said her father's voice.

"Yeah dad?" she said, not turning around.

"Something'swrong with your sister…" he said in a concerned voice. "She's in your room… And she keeps saying your name, over and over… Maybe you'd better go see her…"

Numbuh Five looked up.

"Maybe I'd better," she said.

She drew the sword from her hip, and went up the stairs.

"Ooh, Cree, what are you up to now, girl?" she said. "If you want to fight again, I'll be more than happy to…"

She gripped the door handle to her room.

"But this time, you ain't gonna…"

She threw it open.

"…escape?"

What she saw surprised even her. She had suspected Cree to pounce with weapons drawn…

But instead, her sister was huddled in the corner, holding her knees to her chest, quietly sobbing…

She looked up…

"Abby…" she begged. "Please… You've got to… Help me!"

**0**

**0**

**0**

_**Some people ask, can a leopard change its spots? Is there any hope for redemption left in Cree Lincoln?**_

_**Coming up next, as Charon plots his next move, and the Minerva Sisters are challenged by his henchman Malignus, in a deadly wager. Also, Sector P crosses paths with the Rowdyruff Boys again. Can two teams of pastel-colored pixies defeat the forces of evil? It's two incredible battles, simultaneously, in a chapter I call "True Colors"!**_


	21. True Colors

_I'm so sorry this chapter took so long. But I haven't forgotten! I will finish this fic! This chapter may be short, but the next one will be better._

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**Chapter Twenty-One**

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**True Colors**

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At the Treehouse, a great many exhausted hamsters had slumped in the common room, the sugar rush having worn off at this point.

"So," scolded Numbuh Three, "are we going to break into Numbuh Four's soda supply anymore and go crazy?"

They moaned.

Numbuh One was really upset at what happened.

"Numbuh Four," he said, "you have to keep your things more secure…"

"What do you want me to do, get a vault?" asked Four, annoyed.

"Chief?" said Numbuh Two. "We've got twelve hours of backup power."

"Well, I'd say they should sleep it off," said Numbuh One. "Unfortunately, with all the caffeine they drank…"

Randy came up.

"No problem," she said. "Oh, sweeties!"

The hamsters all looked at her.

"Look at me, sweeties…" she said.

The hamsters all looked at her…

Her eyes glowed blue…

They nodded off, and fell into a deep sleep.

"They'll be out for ten hours," said Randy. "That little trick was how we won a fight with Charon's lieutenant Malignus."

"And it helps when Candy and I have insomnia," added Bambi.

"Well, anyway…" said Numbuh One.

His communicator rang.

He answered it.

"Yes? Numbuh Five?"

A pause.

"WHAT? She's there?"

A pause.

"You caught her?"

Another pause.

"WHAT?"

Another pause.

"No, just hold her… we'll be there in a few minutes…"

He hung up.

"Unbelievable…" he said.

"What is it?" asked Wolf. "She caught Cree?"

"No…" said Numbuh One. "Cree… gave herself up."

The Kids Next Door in the room stared at him for a minute.

"Okay!" laughed Numbuh Four. "What really happened?"

"That's what Numbuh Five said, Numbuh Four," he said. "Nonetheless, I don't trust Cree farther than I can throw her."

He turned to the three Minerva Sisters.

"Uh, can you three... watch the place?" he asked.

"Sure," answered Candy. "We'll study her armor a little more while we're at it."

"Then let's figure this out…" said Numbuh One. "With any luck, we'll be able to take Cree in…"

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Not much surprised a kid who had been to every corner of the world and had fought adult tyranny in so many forms…

But Numbuh Five had to say, she was surprised.

Cree was one of Global Command's greatest enemies. Her KNDanger rating was a solid ten.

Her crimes had included building the chicken pox cannon, stealing the code module, planning to destroy the Moonbase, and recruiting countless teenagers into Father's organization.

And now…

All that was left of her was a frightened wreck in front of Numbuh Five.

Her older sister didn't resist in the slightest as her hands were cuffed behind her back and Numbuh Five searched for weapons (and didn't find any).

"All right, sis," said Cree. "Call me curious, but… I expected a more dignified end result than this…"

Tears flowed down Cree's cheeks.

"Abby…" she said. "I need help…"

"I've known that for a long time…" said Numbuh Five.

"I mean it!" said Cree. "Hooking up with Charon was a mistake…

"Maurice told me to look in a mirror… I did…"

"Huh?" asked Numbuh Five.

"I don't have a reflection any more Abby…" she moaned. "And I found out why…"

She nudged her head to a book on the floor.

Numbuh Five picked up the book.

"I really don't think you're a vampire, sis," she said.

"I found out that the reason vampires don't have reflections is because they don't have souls," said Cree. "When I went to work with Charon…"

She gulped...

"He took mine…"

Numbuh Five looked at her.

"Ho boy…" she said. "Yep, that's a real pickle… But then again, maybe we should have expected it."

"Abby, please…" begged Cree. "I'll give up… I'll tell Global Command everything. About Charon, Father, the Delightful Children,alltheir plans that I know about.I'll… I'll sit still for Numbuh 86. I'll leave the Kids Next Door alone forever… I'll never harm a child again...

"But you have to get it back!"

"Cree, calm down!" said Numbuh Five.

She paused.

"After all you've done, we should just leave you for the wolves," she said. "But I think we can make a deal…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Candy was getting frustrated as she tried to examine Cree's armor.

"No good…" muttered Bambi. "If only we had our wands…"

"Charon has them," said Randy, sadly. "If he hasn't already destroyed them…"

"_There is a way, you know…" _said a spooky voice.

The Minerva Sisters stared into space.

"_Come to me, sisters, and I'll give you the chance to get your full power back…_

"_If you dare…"_

They stood spellbound, as a dark cloud formed behind them…

And a dark set of arms grasped them!

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

"Yes, Commander…" said Numbuh One. "Yes… uh huh… Okay, I'll tell her…"

He hung up the communicator, and turned to Cree, who didn't even seem to notice that weapons were pointed at every part of her body.

"Okay Cree," said Numbuh One, "here's the deal, and we don't expect you to like it.

"The boss has decided we'll help you retrieve you're soul, if that is possible… And it might not be, by the way.

"But until we get it, you are to sit quietly in your cell and be a model prisoner, and once we have it, or determine that we can't you will answer any question we have, and then sit still for the memory wipe."

Cree simply nodded.

"Okay, the ship will be here in an hour," said Numbuh One. "Sector P, why don't you go back to the Treehouse and help hold down the fort. I doubt we all need to watch her."

"Yeah..." muttered Numbuh Four. "Joey is more dangerous than this when he's taking a nap. How the mighty have fallen..."

"Gotcha," said Blossom.

She gently picked up Snowball, and they flew towards the Treehouse.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

The Minerva Sisters were deep in the forest, angrily facing Malignus.

"So…" said Randy, "you want a rematch? Fight us in a wizards' battle? And if we beat you, you'll give back those wands?"

"That's my end of the bargain, yes," chuckled the dark figure. "But if I subdue you, I get to return you – your bodies if you live, your souls if you don't – to the Dark Void. And I assure you, your new allies will not free you so easily this time."

"Bring it on!" shouted Candy.

The evil sorcerer threw his cloak aside.

"I've been waiting a long time for this…" he said.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

As the four members of Sector P flew back to the Treehouse, they still couldn't get over what had happened.

"Numbuh Four was right, how the mighty have fallen," said Buttercup. "Cree certainly…"

Before she could finish, three blasts of energy, one red, one blue, and one green shot towards them…

**KA-ZA-ZAP!**

They screamed, and then plummeted to the ground!

Blossom twisted around in mid air, positioning Snowball so that she fell on top of her and was cushioned.

"Ooh…" muttered Bubbles.

"What happened?" asked Snowball.

They heard laughter above them.

"I know those laughs…" snarled Buttercup.

They looked up and saw the Rowdyruff Boys.

"Hiya, Girls!" laughed Brick. "How'd you like our Ka-Za-Zap?"

"Get them!" shouted Buttercup.

The Powerpuff Girls flew at their wicked counterparts…

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

"Don't worry, girls!" said Randy, taking a fighting stance, "I'll just handle him like I did last time!"

Her eyes glowed blue.

"Look at me, Malignus!" she said with a grin.

"No," said Malignus, as his eyes glowed red, "you look at me!"

Randy gasped…

And then she turned to stone!

"Randy, no!" screamed Bambi.

"I expected her sleeping spell," said Malignus, "so I countered with Gorgon's Eye. It turns the victim to stone for five minutes…

"…unless I smash her to pieces!"

"NO!" screamed Candy.

She cast a quick spell, and a portal appeared behind Randy, sucking her inside.

"Now she's safe for five minutes!" she said with a grin.

"But you aren't," said Bambi, waving her baton. "Eat fireballs!"

She shot a barrage of purple balls of flame at Malignus, and he shielded himself.

"Humph," he said. "I'll finish you off long before your sister recovers. And it took all three of you to defeat me the last time.

"Try these!"

He shot lightning bolts from his fingertips, shocking the two girls!

"Very soon," he said, "you'll be forced into that dark sleep once again, and you'll never wake up this time…"

"Fat chance!" shouted Bambi. "We're not going back there!"

She formed a ball of blue fire in her hands, and hurled it at him.

"Maybe you forgot," she said, "but we're pretty good. We still can defeat you, even without our wands!"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Blossom punched Brick in the face!

Bubbles socked Boomer in the gut!

Buttercup gave Butch a savage haymaker!

But all it seemed to do was make the Rowdyruffs angrier.

Again and again they traded blows, like colored lights darting back and forth in the air. Bruises started to appear on the Girls and Boys alike, but neither team would say Uncle.

"You girls are going to go down hard and…" started Butch.

Then he was stopped as a ray from Snowball's iceblaster froze him solid!

He fell to the ground.

"Forget about me, boys?" she asked.

Boomer and Brick looked at her.

"No…" said Brick.

The two swooped on her, and savagely started punching her! Snowball tried to resist, and then fell under the onslaught of punches.

The other members of Sector P looked in horror… Snowball was on the ground, covered with bruises…

They screamed and charged into the delinquents…

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Sparks flew into the air as Candy and Bambi shot spells at Malignus, and they were hit by more of them.

The portal opened, and Randy came out, turned back to flesh.

"Randy!" shouted Bambi. "You're so good at turning us into frogs… How about turning me into something more deadly?"

"Okay…" said Randy. "I'll try…"

She cast a spell, and Bambi clutched her stomach…

And then Bambi grew, changing into a huge dinosaur!

"All right!" growled Bambi, in a booming voice. "Time for a snack…"

"Wait… stay back!" shouted Malignus.

"Yum…" growled Bambi. "This is going to be good…"

Malignus started throwing fire, lightning, and ice at her, but her new body was very resilient.

_Randy, _said Candy's telepathic voice in her sister's mind. _Get ready to use one of your curses…_

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Snowball mentally checked herself.

_NO! _she thought.

When she had first fought Mojo Jojo, the mad monkey had left her for dead, and had cost her one of her nine lives…

And now, thanks to that attack, another one was gone. She had seven left now…

Those Rowdyruffs would pay…

Butch had broken free of the ice…

But she had something that they wouldn't break free of so easily.

She took a small, silver sphere out of her pouch, and clicked a button on it.

"Girls!" she shouted. "Get out of the way!"

They looked and saw what she was about to do.

They delivered one final punch to their foes, and flew backwards…

Snowball threw the object…

A burst of blue fire surrounded the brothers, and they screamed before they were flash frozen!

They fell to the ground, encased in a shell of ice.

"Sorry guys," said Snowball, "but it's back to the cooler for you…"

She collapsed onto the ground.

"Snowball…" said Bubbles, sadly. "You're hurt…"

"I'm one step closer to the last one, Bubbles,"moaned Snowball. "But hey… Seven is a lucky number…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Not only was Bambi pursuing Malignus in the shape of a T-Rex, but Candy was standing on Bambi's shoulder, casting spells at the evil sorcerer. Malignus tried to cast spells at the transformed witch, but they bounced off her hide.

Meanwhile, Randy had slipped behind him, and was casting a powerful curse…

"Stay back…" said Malignus.

Randy cast the last words of the spell…

And in a puff of smoke, Malignus vanished!

Randy laughed, and grabbed a small frog that was on the ground. She produced a jar and stuffed it inside.

"You lose," she said. "This wizards' battle goes to us."

Bambi turned back to normal.

In a sparkling light, three golden batons, more fancy than their current ones, appeared in mid-air.

"Our wands!" said Candy, in delight.

They grabbed them, and felt energy flowing through them.

"We have all our power back," said Randy. "Now it gets serious…"

"What say we do some frog-stomping?" asked Candy. "Or maybe a biology experiment?"

"I don't think so," said Randy. "I think as a punishment, he's gonna be a frog for a good, long time.

"And you know, he was a pretty sinister human, but I think he makes a rather nice frog, don't you think?"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Watching with much disdain was Charon, watching all these conflicts and confrontations.

"I lost Cree…" he muttered. "I lost Malignus… I lost the Rowdyruff Boys…

"They'll be coming after me next…

"Josephine, I will avenge you…"

He started to walk towards a private room.

"The Wvuxic can't be controlled if I don't have the three artifacts…

"…but that doesn't mean I can't summon it.

"It will destroy the Kids Next Door… I don't care what else it destroys."

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Cree was already being a model prisoner. She cooperated completely as the soldiers led her to the transport ship.

"You know what?" said Numbuh Five. "I think we can trust her. Something tells me that she wants it bad enough that she…"

She paused.

She drew the sword at her side.

"Numbuh One…" she muttered. "Evil is coming…

"The Wvuxic is stirring."

"What?" said Numbuh One. "But we have the artifacts."

"I think Charon might summon the thing without them!" shouted Numbuh Five.

"Oh… great…" muttered Numbuh One.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Some hours later, everyone was gathered in the common room in the Sector V Treehouse. Numbuh 362 had arrived.

"People," she said, "we won some victories today. Cree has given up. Malignus has been captured. So were the Rowdyruff Boys. Unfortunately, Numbuh 99 lost one of her lives to accomplish this.

"But if what Numbuh Five says is true, Charon intends to summon the Wvuxic without controlling it, and that's trouble. This may well be the biggest fight yet.

"Dogs of War, we're going to need the help from all of your Mechas for this.

"Minerva Sisters, consider yourselves deputized. He need your help too.

"Sectors V and P, we're going to need everything you've got.

"I don't know it it's even possible to destroy this creature, but we're going to try.

"So... Who's up for saving the world?"

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In the chamber where Josephine's statue stood, Charon kissed her on the lips.

"Soon," he whispered, "very soon, the great beast will be unleashed, and they will pay."

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

The youngsters were working very hard to prepare.

Numbuhs One, Four, and Five gathered every weapon in their arsenal, and made sure they were all loaded and ready. Numbuhs Two and Three made some adjustments to Hippy-Hop.

"Okay, hand me the screwdriver," said Numbuh Two.

Numbuh Three took a screwdriver from the toolkit.

"Uh, no, not the regular one, I need the Philips."

"Can you really make him better?" asked Numbuh Three.

"I've been taking pointers from the Dogs," replied Numbuh Two. "If I have time, I might even install a CD player!"

The Powerpuffs and Snowball did the same, and made some adjustments on some new items that they were working on.

The Minerva Sisters poured over several spellbooks, filling their minds with the most powerful incantations they could think of.

And as for the Dogs of War, they put the finishing touches on the latest of their war machines, one that would help with all three of their Mechas.

Somewhere in Death Valley, where the Wvuxic had last appeared, a storm began to start.

Numbuh Five paused, her sword communicating with her.

"We only have a few hours," she said.

"It's coming."

**_Coming up next..._**

**_Some would say that a seventeen-on-one fight is a sure victory... But when the one is the evil spawn of the Goddess of Nature, things aren't that clear cut. _**

**_Uncontrolled and untamed, the abomination finally awakens, and it's going to take all that the Operatives have._**

**_And if you think Cree is just going to sit in prison and watch... Well, she won't wallow in self-pity forever._**

**_Coming soon... the epic battle begins._**


	22. Awakening

_Hi everyone. I'm sorry for the long hiatus that this fic took, but I'm ready to start again. _

_Ready… Get set…_

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**Chapter Twenty-Two**

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**Awakening**

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Numbuh 362 walked down the hallway of the Moonbase holding cells.

She turned around and watched as Cree was led in. Only a pair of handcuffs restrained her, but a guard was on either side.

"Okay, Cree, listen good," she said. "Last time, we kept you restrained with the Cuff. We aren't going to do that right now since you turned yourself in.

"But I warn you… If you try anything or hurt any operatives, we _will _Cuff you. So I suggest you sit quietly in your cell until we manage to get your soul back.

Cree simply nodded as the handcuffs were removed. A guard opened the cell door and nudged her, and she walked in.

She sighed as the door was closed.

_So now what? _she thought. _Just wait and hope that they manage to defeat Charon?_

_I wish there was something I could do…_

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Numbuh Five was standing on a balcony of the Treehouse, silently communicating with her sword.

_That Wvuxic is coming, _she thought. _We have no idea what it's capable of, and for all we know, it may be too hard for all of us to handle…_

Then the sword erupted in fire.

"Oh boy…" she said.

She ran inside.

"Guys!" she shouted.

"We know…"muttered Numbuh One, who was watching the mainframe.

The screen turned to Death Valley, where a storm was happening. In the middle of the desert was a huge, egg-shaped gemstone.

They watched as it was struck by lightning.

"That thing is storing energy with each lightning strike," he said. "I'm no expert, but I figure that when it gains enough, it will hatch, and our Wvuxic will be set loose."

The members of Sector P entered the room.

"Not if we smash it to pieces before it does!" said Blossom.

"We'll try to help you," said Randy. "We got our wands back, so we can at least try to crack that egg with you."

"You six try that," said Numbuh One. "Meanwhile, the Dogs and the rest of us will put the last touches on our weapons systems. We'll nip Charon's plan in the bud and topple this titan!"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Watching from a safe location – the slopes of Mt. Etna, in Europe – Charon was reclining on a chair and sipping a wine cooler. The active volcano churned lava in the fiery pit.

"I love the smell of brimstone in the morning," he said. "So what if I can't control the Wvuxic? I'm sure it will destroy the Kids Next Door anyway when they try to stop it. All I'll have to do is pick up the pieces.

"And hopefully, they'll weaken it enough for me to banish it again when they're done.

"If not… I can simply overload all the crystals and destroy it in one mighty blast. My ultimate backup plan.

"For now, I'll just watch the fun."

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

"Well," said Buttercup, looking up. "It's certainly big…"

The huge crystal loomed above them, nearly a thousand feet tall. It glowed with an eerie light.

"We can take it down…" said Bambi.

"Yeah!" said Bubbles. "Let's blast it to itty-bitty pieces!"

The three Minerva Sisters mounted their unicorns, and all six of the girls took to the air.

The Powerpuff Girls blasted at the huge gem with their eye beams, and the Minerva Sisters cast burning energy from their wands…

The gem shivered a little, but it didn't show signs of cracking…

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

A guard walked down the cell block with a plate of macaroni and cheese.

"Lunch time, Cree," he said, opening the door. "Hungry? I've got…"

Then Cree clamped her hand over his mouth. The tray spilled.

"If you scream," she said, "I'm beat you good."

She forced him to the ground, and tied his hands together behind his back with her sweatshirt (leaving her with only her shorts and her regular bra).

"You're nuts!" said the guard. "You're unarmed! The whole base will come after you! They'll catch you for sure!"

"Yeah," replied Cree, "I'll admit that my chances aren't very good. But if by some miracle I get away, please do me a favor. Give this to Numbuh 362."

She placed a note on the floor.

"I'm very sorry…" she said, touching him on the forehead.

She got up, and ran out the door. The guard screamed as she fled.

As Cree ran, she heard angry shouts behind her. Then, blasts from jalapeño blasters and mustard guns licked at her feet.

She tore open a hatch, and jumped through it.

Fortunately, she knew this place pretty well. When she was an operative, she was the best of her time. She had to hope not much had changed.

Seconds later, she landed in a cargo bay. A one-man craft was in the corner... just what she needed.

She ran to it, and leapt inside. Quickly she hotwired it to start it, and hit the button to launch. The airlock opened, and she was shot out.

_They aren't chasing me, _she thought, as she flew to Earth. _Or trying to shoot me down… But why?_

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Numbuh 362 read the note that Cree had left.

_**I cannot sit idly by while a madman has my soul. I have decided to try to confront Charon myself.**_

**_I realize that in my escape, I may have been forced to hurt one or more operatives. If I did hurt anyone while escaping, I am very sorry. I will turn myself in once Charon is defeated, and will accept any punishment for doing so then, no matter how painful or unpleasant. But only I know where to find him. I must try._**

_**Again, I am sorry.**_

362 paused.

"Go get 'em, Numbuh Eleven," she whispered.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Beams of heat vision and magical energy shot into the huge gemstone. It shook a little, but not much else was happening.

"Worthless!" shouted Buttercup, in frustration. "We can't even crack it!"

Blossom's communicator rang.

"Yeah?" she said, turning it on.

"Blossom, this is Fox," said the voice on the other end. "You might as well stop pounding away at that thing – your blasts aren't going to help."

"We could try the Furious Flaming Feline," suggested Bubbles. "Or maybe the Cherry Bomb…"

"You'd only wear yourselves out," answered Fox. "I've been analyzing that substance from here, and it's made of some substance that has been made denser and harder than even diamond."

"How is that possible?" asked Candi.

"From a scientific standpoint, it _isn't _possible!" exclaimed Fox. "But magic isn't my thing."

"Give me that!" said Numbuh One's voice.

There was a short scuffling noise.

"Sector P, Minerva Sisters," said Numbuh One. "My advice is to get clear and watch from a distance until we get there. This is only a theory on my point, but when that thing wakes up after being asleep for so long, it's going to be _very _hungry. And judging from your clothing, it just might mistake you six for fruit-flavored candies!"

"Good point…" said Blossom. "Over and out."

She looked around.

"Come on," she said. "Let's hide behind that mesa over there…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

They say any landing you can walk away from is a good one.

As Cree staggered from the ruined remains of the craft, she guessed that this was a good landing… but only barely.

The skimpy clothes she had escaped in were torn, and she was covered from head to toe in mud. Cuts and scrapes covered her arms and legs.

She should have been thinking about a shower, some antiseptic, and a fresh pair of clothes right now, but she could get none…

Where was she? The ruins of Chicken Pox Island. This teenage facility had been destroyed – she assumed by the Kids Next Door, and she was right. But not in the way she thought.

But only she knew that not everything was destroyed.

She made her way to the beach, and stumbled to a cliff-face.

Nobody knew about this… Not Father, not the Delightful Children… Nobody. Once it was tested, her plans were laid out. She would tear into the Sector Five Treehouse and beat Numbuhs One through Four to a pulp…

…and once that was done, she would beat her sister to amuch nastier pulp. Then she'd leave their crumpled, broken, and defeated forms behind, with a warning that she'd come back and do it again once they healed.

But now… It would have a much different use…

She placed her hand on the cliff-face, and a secret door opened with a rumble…

There is was… The experimental prototype of the XL5 Super Battle Ready Armor. Right now, it looked like a large, metal halter top…

…but that would change soon. She took it and strapped it over her chest.

Then she whispered a voice command, and it expanded, covering her body with silvery metal armor. A streamlined helmet formed over her head, and a special mouthpiece was placed over her lower face. Then a glass visor lowered over her eyes.

She gestured, and the mouthpiece activated, feeding her a special liquid. Energy flowed through her, and the soreness and pain in her muscles went away…

"Yes!" she shouted. "I feel like a million bucks!"

The jetpack on her back ignited, and she shot away from the island, flying at just under the speed of sound.

"Next stop, Mt. Etna," she said. "And if Charon doesn't give back my soul, I'll take it from him!"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Sector V was monitoring the huge gemstone with worried looks.

"The energy that thing is putting out is measuring more every minute," said Numbuh Two. "It could hatch in less than twenty minutes."

"Correction…" said Numbuh Five, concentrating. "We have about fifteen minutes."

"Fox," said Wolf, "is the new device ready?"

"It hasn't been tested yet…" muttered Fox.

"No time like the present," said Wolf.

Fox nodded, and took a remote from his pocket. He hit a button.

In the secret base of the Dogs of War, the Dogs' three mechas sprung to life.

Then two huge, glowing eyes lit up above them.

The three mechas marched towards the glowing eyes…

"Numbuh Three…" said Numbuh One. "Go!"

Numbuh Three ran to a hatch and opened it. She slid down and landed in a cockpit.

She strapped a helmet over her head.

"Time to play…" she said, grabbing the controls of the device.

"All right…" said Numbuh One. "Kids Next Door… Battle stations!"

"Time for one old fashioned battle royal…" muttered Numbuh Four.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

The Powerpuff Girls and the Minerva Sisters watched in horror as the huge stone started to crack… The sky darkened…

And with an explosion of flame, the creature they had been dreading for so long burst free!

It stood three hundred feet tall, and seemed to be an amalgam of several unpleasant animals. Its head resembled some sort of demented centipede with glowing eyes and a sharp mandibles. Its torso was scaly and reptilian, except its arms, which resembled those of a bear. Its hands were not hands at all, but pincer like those of a lobster. Topping it off was a long, reptilian tail.

It turned towards the six girls and glared at them. It drooled.

Numbuh One had been right… It had a bad case of the munchies…

"What do we do?" screamed Bubbles, in panic. "What do we do? What do we do? What do we do? What do we do?"

Buttercup slapped her.

"Thanks… I needed that…" said Bubbles.

"Uh, guys…" said Randy.

The Wvuxic roared, and charged at them. The two groups of sisters screamed and held onto each other…

…and then, a huge claw fell from the sky, and clamped around the Wvuxic's waist. The girls looked up…

**(Kids Next Door M.E.R.R.Y.G.O.R.O.C.K.E.T.: Monstrous Electron Rocket Rotates Your Grown Opposition Round On Carnival Kontraption Emulating Teenagers)**

The members of Sector V (minus Numbuh Three) and the Dogs of War were inside the huge craft, which flew above. The Wvuxic paused as if baffled…

"Good shot, Numbuh Two," said Numbuh One. "Now let's show this prehistoric creep how they do it in the modern age."

"Time to play spin the monster!" laughed Two, taking hold of the controls. "Activate rotation mode!"

The craft's carousel lifted the beast off its feet, and it roared, as the rotary machine started to spin it around.

Finally, it let go, and the Wvuxic flew into a rock formation, shattering the stone to bits.

It got up and roared in anger.

"I think we made it mad…" muttered Dingo.

Numbuh Four fastened the last strap on the device he was wearing.

"Well," he said, "I'm pretty mad too. Let me at him!"

Numbuh Four leapt out of the craft, and pulled a cord on the front of the device…

Quickly, a series of metallic parts unfolded from it… a torso made from a boat, limbs made from steel girders, and finally, a head/console made from a carousel.

**(Kids Next Door W.R.A.S.L.E.R.: Wrestling Robot Absolutely Slamifies Large Enemy Riffraff)**

The huge robot landed on the desert floor. The Wvuxic roared again and charged at it.

"Come on, you Godzilla movie reject…" dared Numbuh Four.

The two titans locked arms. Numbuh Four strained.

"Guys!" he shouted. "It's really strong! The W.R.A.S.L.E.R. isn't nearly powerful enough!"

The abomination socked the machine in the face. Then it gripped its arm, and tore it off above the elbow.

Then they saw something fly over the horizon.

"Don't worry, Numbuh Four!" shouted Wolf. "Help is coming!"

And it came…

A huge bird-shaped robot, bigger than any aircraft that had ever been built, soared towards them. It seemed too big to be real, and it cast a shadow over the desert.

**(Kids Next Door R.O.C.: Really Oversized Carrier)**

As Numbuh Four struggled with the monster, the R.O.C. landed, and a hatch opened. F.E.N.R.I.R., A.N.U.B.I.S., and C.E.R.E.B.R.U.S. marched out, and they roared at the creature.

And not a moment too soon. The Wvuxic punched the W.R.A.S.L.E.R. hard, and Numbuh Four abandoned ship as it erupted into flames.

Five ropes lowered out of the KND craft, and the five Dogs of War lowered themselves down to the three mechas. The hatches opened, and their owners leapt in the cockpits.

"All right!" shouted Wolf. "F.E.N.R.I.R. is online, and the two of us are ready to rock and roll!"

"A.N.U.B.I.S. is online," replied Jackal. "We're hankerin' for some hurtin'!"

"C.E.R.E.B.R.U.S. is online too," said Fox.

"All systems ready to go," said Coyote.

"Let's blast this colossal fossil back to the stone age!" shouted Dingo.

The three mechas charged across the desert sand, and as they did, a fourth mecha ran up to join them!

"Look, guys!" said Fox. "Numbuh Three brought Hippie-Hop to play!"

"I wanted to have fun with you guys too!" laughed Numbuh Three.

The Wvuxic growled as it watched the four machines charge it…

And then it threw its arms forward, throwing a blast of flame at its foes!

"Ergh!" groaned Jackal.

"Watch out people," said Wolf. "It's packing heat… Literally. I'm powering up Winter's Vanguard."

F.E.N.R.I.R. fired its lethal freeze ray, coating the beast with frost. It groaned, but then it was surrounded by an aura of flames, melting the ice.

"I'll try to draw its fire," said Jackal. "Numbuh Three, let it have it when it's distracted."

A.N.U.B.I.S. hopped towards the creature, and it shot flame at the smallest of the mechas. The smaller machine dodged the blows, and blasts of flame scorched the ground.

Twin cannons appeared on Hippie-Hop's sides, and they blasted the creature in the chest. It staggered back a little, but refused to fall.

"Let's give him the heavy artillery," said Dingo. "Arm mortal cannons…"

He activated the cannons of C.E.R.B.E.R.U.S.

"Fire!" he shouted.

Several rounds of mortal fire blasted forward, hitting the great beast! It roared in rage, and the fire around it blazed!

A huge wall of flame shot forward, engulfing the four mechas!

"Shields down to seventy percent!" shouted Coyote.

"Maybe for you!" said Wolf. "You have the most powerful one!"

Meanwhile, Blossom had carried Numbuh Four out of harm's way.

Numbuh Four spoke into his communicator.

"Guys, we need something even more powerful," he said. "The Dogs can't last forever."

"I've got an idea, Numbuh Four," he said. "But they'll have to keep it occupied for a little while longer."

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

"Ha, ha, ha!" laughed Charon. "You're doomed, Kids Next Door! This is your final hour! And then Wvuxic will root you all out!"

"Don't count on it…" said a voice.

He looked up, and saw Cree land in front of him.

"Cree?" asked Charon. "How… You…"

"Surrendered?" she said. "Yeah, but then I thought I'd rather take you on myself.

"I want what you took from me, soul snatcher!"

"Sorry, I don't have it," said Charon, with a grin.

"What?" asked Cree.

"I gave your soul to the Wvuxic to empower it," answered Charon.

Cree's eyes blazed with anger.

"It takes it a week to digest a soul," said Charon. "But you'll never get it back. It will consume your would be saviors, and grow stronger with each one it takes."

"I'm taking you down…" said Cree.

She gestured, and a long spear appeared in her hand.

"Ha!" laughed Charon. "You think you can defeat me? Dear child, before you met me, you were nothing."

He gestured, and a sword glowing with red energy appeared in his hand.

"Guess again," said Cree. "I was pretty good before I even knew who you were."

The two clashed weapons, and the volcano below them started to stir. Like a battle between Jedi and Sith, the weapons struck each other, and sparks flew.

Cree leapt onto a rock and fired a flamethrower from her wrist. Charon cringed…

Then he clenched his fist, and the flamethrower shattered.

Undaunted, Cree activated a new weapon, and a stream of sharp nails shot towards him. But Charon gestured, and the nails turned around 360, stabbing into Cree's armor. Fortunately, they didn't reach her flesh.

They clashed weapons again, and more sparks flew. Cree swiped at his chest with her spear, and he shrieked.

Charon shot a burst oflightning at Cree, and she screamed.

"You're going to die, Cree," he said, "and then all you'll be is food for the Wvuxic."

Cree activated the mouthpiece again, and it fed her the healing liquid.

"We'll see about that," she said.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

As the remaining members of the team watched the battle below, a strange sensation came over Numbuh Five…

She thought hard.

"Numbuh One," she said, "my sister is fighting Charon…"

"Are you sure?" he asked.

Numbuh Five paused.

"I'm positive," she said. "I… I have to help her…"

"I understand…" said Numbuh One.

"Here," said Snowball, handing her a set of keys. "Take my S.P.R.A.C.K.E.T. Get that guy good."

A minute later, Numbuh Five flew from the battlefield in a small, one-manned craft.

**(Kids Next Door S.P.R.A.C.K.E.T.: Snowball Piloted Rocket Aircraft Cycle Kicks Enemy Tuckus)**

_Hang on, sis, _she thought, _I'm coming…_

**0**

**0**

**0**

_**Can Numbuh Five save her sister? Will the Wvuxic be defeated? Find out, because next chapter is the conclusion! Be there, or be square.**_

**_And keep an eye out for my new fanfiction, in Micellanious Cartoons, starting Sunday._**


	23. Endgame

_Ladies and gentlemen, presenting…_

**0 0 0 0 0**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**Chapter Twenty-Three**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**Endgame**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**0 0 0 0 0**

The wheat fields of the Plains passed under Numbuh Five, as she started to realize something…

Snowball's small craft wasn't exactly the best 2x4 vehicle to use if you wanted to get from Death Valley to Europe in a hurry. It had supersonic capabilities, but it would be dangerous to use them.

Then she realized she didn't exactly care.

She gestured over her sword, and a shield of solidified air covered her and the craft. Then she shifted the craft itself to max speed.

"Hang on sis…" she said, looking over the horizon. "I'm not gonna let anyone kill you who isn't me…"

She didn't mean that, but she still had to help Cree…

She realized something for the first time in a long time…

Cree may have turned evil… she may have been a traitor… she may have caused Global Command no end of trouble…

…but she was still her sister…

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

"Fire at will!" screamed Numbuh Three. "But, uh, don't fire at Will, he's a friend of mine."

Ordinarily, the Dogs of War would have groaned at the bad joke, but in this situation, everyone had to keep high hopes.

Burning beams of energy, missiles and shells shot from the four mechas, pounding into the abomination, and it roared with even more anger than before.

Watching from the vantage point with the Powerpuff Girls and the Minerva Sisters, Numbuh Four picked up his communicator.

"Numbuh One, they didn't even scratch it," he said. "This plan of yours had best be the best idea you ever had…"

"Don't worry Numbuh Four," he said. "I'm going to use the newest addition to our arsenal, generously donated by the Delightful Children From Down The Lane."

"Oh, you are, are you?" said a voice on another line.

"With authorization, of course, chief," said Numbuh One, nervously.

"Numbuh One…" said Numbuh 362, "I had second thoughts about this thing from the start. I at first wanted to destroy it. If I give you control of it and anyone is hurt by it…"

At that moment, the Wvuxic slammed its claw into the ground, sending a shockwave that sent all four mechas toppling.

Then the craft that Numbuh One was in, which had landed on the ground, tipped over.

"Chief, we're running out of options fast!" shouted Numbuh One. "I'll take FULL responsibility for anything that happens, do you hear me! I absolve everyone here of anything that might happen! All responsibility goes to me!"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Numbuh 362 walked to a console and typed in a code.

"**Retina scan identification, please," **said the computer.

She put her eye to a scanner, and a light blinked.

"**Numbuh 362, confirmed," **it said. **"Fingerprint identification, please."**

She took off her glove, and placed her hand on a pad.

"**Numbuh 362, confirmed," **it said. **"Voice identification, please."**

"Numbuh 362," she said.

"**Confirmed," **it said. **"Enter code."**

She typed in the words "Sibling of Epimetheus."

"**Confirmed," **it said. **"The Kids Next Door P.R.O.M.E.T.H.I.U.S. is now online."**

**(Kids Next Door P.R.O.M.E.T.H.I.U.S.: Powerful Robotic Orbiting Macrocosmic Earth Targeting Heat Inciting Universal Satellite.)**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

"Congratulations, Numbuh One," she said. "You are the first operative who gets to test our ultimate weapon. From what I've studied, at full power, it could take out Manhattan. Keep in mind, this is the type of weapon I _really _wished we'd never have to use…"

"I'll be careful," said Numbuh One.

He switched lines.

"Dogs of War, Numbuh Three," he said. "Are you okay?"

"Aside from tall, dark, and gruesome about to smash us flat, we're having a ball," said Wolf.

"Do you have enough energy to get clear of that thing?" asked Numbuh One.

"Yeah, but it would just chase us if we did!" shouted Jackal.

Numbuh One started to punch in the coordinates.

"Then confuse it," he said. "Each one of you, run in a different direction. Numbuh Three, retreat to the north. Wolf, to the east. Jackal, to the south. Dingo, Fox, Coyote, you run to the west. It can't chase all of you."

"So we just run away?" asked Dingo. "Hey, the Dogs of War never gave up before, and we aren't going to start!"

"We aren't going to!" said Numbuh One, as he continued to input the coordinates. "It's a strategic retreat while I prepare a stronger attack."

The mechas got to their feet.

"Strategic retreat…" muttered Dingo. "Okay, I can live with that…"

Just as Numbuh One had instructed, Hippie-Hop, F.E.N.R.I.R., A.N.U.B.I.S., and C.E.R.B.E.R.U.S. dashed away from the great beast. It paused, somewhat confused…

Finally, it decided to chase after Hippie-Hop, likely having decided to go for the smallest target.

In the cockpit of her mecha, Numbuh Three shook in fear. She gripped the Rainbow Monkey she had brought with her, and hugged it to her chest as she continued to retreat…

Slowly, the Wvuxic closed in on the mechanical rabbit…

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

High above the earth, the satellite that Numbuh One had coerced away from the Delightful Children in exchange for freeing them lit up.

Its solar panels shone, as it collected the raw power of the sun…

In its targeting computers, it looked to Death Valley…

A crosshairs appeared on the huge abomination…

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

"FIRE!" shouted Numbuh One.

At first, nothing seemed to happen. Then, the dark sky lit up, and blazing beam of pure energy shot from the heavens!

An unearthly scream from the great beast threw Hippie-Hop into the nearest mesa, and an explosion lit up the desert!

The Kids Next Door cheered when they saw they had apparently been successful. From what they saw, the blast had turned the Wvuxic to rock, just before blasting it to pieces. Its limbs, head, and pieces of its torso lay broken on the desert floor.

Hippie-Hop had been dented and bent by the impact. Bubbles, Blossom, and Buttercup flew towards the trashed mecha…

…just in time to see Numbuh Three rip the hatch off as she emerged.

"Hah!" she laughed.

She looked at the remains.

"Not so tough, are you?" she asked.

Snowball, the Dogs, and the other members of Sector V ran up to the remains.

"Well!" said Numbuh Four. "Guess we fixed his little red wagon, eh?"

The Minerva Sisters flew down on their mounts.

Randy dismounted and walked up to the creature's head.

She looked at the sky. The darkness hadn't gone away, and thunder was starting to rumble.

"Everyone…" she said, "I don't think it's over. The evil presence hasn't left…"

"What do you mean?" asked Numbuh Two. "Can't you see it's been blown to a million pieces?"

"Yes, it has…" said Randy.

She paused.

"But even so… That doesn't mean it's dead…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Fifteen minutes later, Numbuh Five was approaching the shores of France.

Her communicator rang.

"What?" she asked, answering it.

"Numbuh Five?" said Numbuh One. "We have a little crisis. The Minerva Sisters just figured it out."

"Go on," she said. "You can tell me on the way."

"We blew the Wvuxic to pieces using that satellite," he said. "But its death is only temporary.

"Eventually, it's going to regenerate, and it's going to be very angry. And taking it out again the same way is out of the question. The thing needs a day to recharge. Randy thinks that technology simply can't kill this thing, no matter how strong it is."

"So we're doomed then?" asked Numbuh Five.

"No," replied Numbuh One. "We believe it will stay dead if the link from the mortal world to… uhm… wherever it was imprisoned is severed.

"That link lies with Charon. His aura is all over this thing, according to Randy."

"Swell," said Numbuh Five. "And how does Numbuh Five sever this link?"

"If your sword can't find a way to do it," said Numbuh One, "Numbuh 362 has issued the following declaration…

"Quote:

"For dealing with the enemy of Global Command known as Charon, lethal force is both authorized and permitted. No operative will be penalized if he or she is forced to break Directive Three while dealing with him.

"Unquote."

Numbuh Five paused.

Directive Three was one of Global Commands strictest rules. It stated that an operative could never purposely kill another human being. Only the Supreme Commander could authorize an exception.

Ironically, she had done so when Cree had been captured that first time. They weren't going to take any chances of her escaping.

"How long do we have before it regenerates?" she asked.

There was a pause.

"Randy says forty-five minutes," replied Numbuh One.

"I'll get back to you in an hour," she replied.

She hung up.

Then she looked at the controls of her craft.

"Forty-five minutes?" she said. "Great… I'm gonna run out of fuel in about forty-five _seconds!_

"I've been running on fumes for the past hundred miles as it is…"

She held up her sword, and it burned with fire…

Then she stabbed it into the engine!

A power source more potent that any that 2x4 technology could fathom propelled the craft forward, as Italy loomed on the horizon…

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Charon was down on one knee, clutching his head is pain…

After the Wvuxic had exploded, a backlash had surged through him. He had never expected something like _that. _

Cree was only twenty feet away from him. She wanted to go in and finish him, but she wasn't in very good shape either. Her armor was dented and broken in some parts, and while it had protected her from most of his assaults, a few of them had gotten though.

She had a feeling that if she didn't think of something, they were going to get through with more and more frequency, until one of them finally took her out.

She checked her weapons systems. A lot of them had been busted. But she had spared nothing with this version of the BRA.

She activated one of them, and two sharp blades appeared in her hands.

"Want more, do you?" asked Charon, getting up.

As she lunged at him, he gestured, and she was thrown backwards.

He raised his sword, and leapt at her, aiming for her head. Her eyes opened wide…

She dodged aside, and the blade cleaved the rock it was resting against in half.

She groaned…

Then Charon grabbed her from behind and locked his arm around her neck.

"Trust me," he said, "if you just go limp, it won't hurt as much as I strangle you…"

Cree struggled for a few seconds.

_Maybe he's right… _she thought. _I can't beat him… And what would be the point? _

_Even if by some miracle I survive, what then? Every member of the Kids Next Door will hate me for the rest of my days. I've become infamous…_

_And my memory will have been wiped. A member of Global Command could walk right up to me and kick me in the shins… I wouldn't know why he had done it, even though I would have deserved it…_

_It's no use… It's better this way…_

She closed her eyes… And she went limp…

Darkness started to overtake her…

…and then a familiar voice came out of the darkness…

"SIS! Get out of the way!"

Cree's eyes snapped open, and Charon turned in surprise. He let go of her just in time to see the S.P.R.A.C.K.E.T., now on fire and about ready to burst, fly towards him with Numbuh Five at the helm.

Numbuh Five turned the wheel, and then grabbed her sword. She leapt off the burning craft.

Charon screamed as it crashed into him, and exploded. He flew over the edge of the crater, still screaming.

"Abby…" muttered Cree. "You… You came to help me?"

"Yeah…" said Numbuh Five. "But only so I could kick your butt later!"

Tears fell down Cree's cheeks…

"Why?" said Charon's voice.

He climbed out of the crater, his eyes burning with fury.

"Numbuh Five, this one who dares call herself your sister betrayed you. She betrayed the Kids Next Door…

"She's assaulted you several times. She tried to probe your brain for information. She even gave you chicken pox.

"For years now, she's treated you like something she scraped off the bottom of her foot…

"…and yet, you come to help her?

"Why? I wouldn't have helped my sister if she was locked in mortal combat, and the worst thing she ever did to me was tape over a show I recorded before I had watched it!"

"Seems you wouldn't help anyone," said Numbuh Five, annoyed. "I mean, Josephine was your girlfriend, but you never offered her any help. Not even in the fight when she turned herself into a paperweight."

Charon burned with fury.

He pointed, and a blast of fire shot towards them. Numbuh Five quickly raised her sword, and a wall of ice sprang up to block it.

"That's a very touchy subject, Numbuh Five," he said. "One that I don't like being brought up! I fully intended to help her in that battle, but…"

He paused.

"But why?" asked Numbuh Five, with a snide look. "Why didn't you save your girlfriend before her weapon backfired? You're certainly powerful enough… You could have destroyed it before it happened."

"I… I knew next to no magic at that time…" he said. "She was the powerful one…"

"Yeah?" asked Cree. "If you had been there, you could have warned her. You could have begged her to retreat instead of doing something as stupid as shutting off the safety on that thing."

"I… I…" muttered Charon. "I couldn't…"

Numbuh Five frowned.

"I know why he wasn't there…" she muttered. "He had no powers, he thought he was helpless compared to her… and compared to the ones she'd be facing. He was afraid to face the Kids Next Door…"

She pointed to Charon.

"All you were before you got these powers was a big coward," she said. "That's why you weren't there to help your girlfriend. You left her to face the Kids Next Door alone…

"…and as a result, she's been condemned to a prison of white marble, forever. I hope you're proud of yourself."

Flames appeared in Charon's eyes…

Sometimes…

…the truth hurts…

He screamed, and a wave of dark flames shot out in all directions! Cree and Numbuh Five were thrown off their feet…

And they plummeted towards the fiery center of Etna!

"We're gonna be fried!" shouted Cree.

"Not… yet…" groaned Numbuh Five, gesturing downward.

An intense beam of ice blasted from her hand, and a section of lava solidified into rock. The two sisters twisted around, and made a two-point landing on it.

They looked up and saw Charon, or what remained of him. His humanity was gone… He looked like a flaming shadow with glowing red eyes.

"You think that intimidates me?" asked Numbuh Five. "Father looks scarier than that!"

She turned to her sister.

"Ready for round two, sis?" she asked.

"Are you kidding?" asked Cree. "I'm getting my second wind, and for the first time today, I think I have something to live for."

"Then watch out…" said Five. "Here he comes!"

Charon leapt down…

…and then dove _into _the lava!

"Be on guard…" said Five, as the lava started to churn.

The burning shadow burst up behind them, and a spout of lava followed. Cree gestured again, and her right arm formed into a new weapon…

She twitched her eyebrow, and a bolt of electricity shot from it.

Five followed, and a blast of high-pressure water shot from her sword. Charon howled as sparks and steam flew from him.

"Maybe we should take this to safer ground…" suggested Cree, as he sank into the lava again.

Five gestured, and four boulders crashed into the lava from above, forming a set of stepping stones.

As they hopped to the first stone, Charon reared up, riding a wave of lava!

"Run…" muttered Cree.

They hopped from stone to stone, with Cree shooting at the monster, and upon reaching solid ground, Cree covered Five with her body. Flames washed over them…

They got up, covered with soot and ashes.

"Just like old times, huh?" said Cree. "Oh!"

She noticed that Numbuh Five's hat had been burned away…

"Oh, Abby…" she said, sadly.

"It's okay, sis," said Five, tossing it aside. "I lost the original one a long time ago. Wonder if the Delightful Dopes still have it…"

Charon was glaring at them.

"Hang on…" said Five.

A column of stone formed under them, lifting them to lip of the crater.

Numbuh Five checked her watch.

"We're running out of…" she started.

A blast of fire shot overhead, singing her hair.

"As I was saying…" she said. "We're running out of time. We gotta put the kibosh on this guy or the Wvuxic is going to turn the U.S. into the Great American Desert!"

They dodged another burst of flame.

"Well, he seems to be tied to this volcano now…" said Cree. "I have an idea, but it might be dangerous…"

She paused.

"We can make the volcano erupt somehow. The force of the initial explosion might take him with it."

"And how do we survive if it works?" asked Five.

"I uh…" she replied. "I don't know. But let's try it anyway. You have to admit, going out as a martyr is better than going out as a failure."

"All right…" muttered Five.

She held the sword in front of her.

"It will take a lot of energy, but I'll use both Fire and Earth energy, moving the faults and heating the magma. It should create an eruption big enough to destroy anything in the crater…

"And possibly anything surrounding it."

She paused.

"Cree…" she said, "we may not survive this… But if it comes to that, I want to say…"

She held her hand.

"I can call you my sister again…"

The sword glowed…

_What are they doing? _thought Charon. _Ergh… I'll roast them like pigs on spits…_

The volcano started to rumble.

He looked around, confused…

Spouts of lava shot up! Rocks fell into the crater!

"Cree… get close to me…" said Numbuh Five.

Cree clutched her sister in fear.

Then she was shocked to see that solid stone was wrapping around them. She screamed, but then she got the idea…

As the volcano started to shake, the two of them were encased in a tomb of solid stone…

Still, Numbuh Five concentrated, not knowing if this rock would be their salvation… or their grave.

And as the explosion of the erupting volcano lit up the landscape, causing a last scream from the one who was unprotected, several boulders were propelled from the mountain, many landing thousands of feet away…

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

In Charon's many fortresses, the crystal generators dimmed, and then shattered to pieces. The source of their magic was gone.

In a lonely chamber, a marble statue of a woman still stood. And for all I know, she still does…

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

In Death Valley, the pieces of the Wvuxic crumbled into dust, and the sky cleared.

The Kids Next Door and their allies cheered.

Numbuh One picked up his communicator.

"Numbuh Five, come in," he said.

There was a pause.

"Numbuh Five?"

Another pause.

The connection was dead.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

In the forest behind Etna, several smoldering boulders lay in craters. In the background, lava cascaded down the volcano's slopes.

For a few minutes, there was silence…

Then one of the boulders started to crack…

It shattered into pebbles, and Abigail and Cree Lincoln collapsed to the ground.

They didn't move for a minute or two…

Cree was the first to get up…

"Abby?" she said.

Five slowly got up.

"One thing's for sure…" she said. "Numbuh Five sure ain't ever doing_that_ again!"

Cree chuckled, even though she was certain her ribs were cracked.

She checked her armor – the parts that still worked. The mechanism that delivered the healing fluid to her mouth was still working, and there was still a little left…

She looked at her sister.

She removed the mouthpiece from her mouth and put it over Five's.

"Drink, Abby…" she said. "It tastes terrible, but it will make you feel better…"

After swallowing the liquid, Five stared for a minute.

"Thank you…" she said.

"Don't worry," she said, "I feel like a million bucks. My soul is back… I can feel it."

"You know, Cree…" said Five. "Maybe I could talk to Numbuh 362… Plead your case… Try to make an exception after all that's happened. Maybe, just maybe she won't demand your memory wiped…"

"No…" said Cree. "I _want _them wiped."

"Say what, girl?" said Numbuh Five.

Cree sighed.

"Abby…" she said, "I had my soul taken, nearly got dunked in lava, and had to be buried alive to brace myself. Those are three of a thousand memories that I don't want.

"Besides… My KNDanger rating will likely never change. Father and the others would still seek me out. There's no guarantee that I'd leave you alone forever. Heck, eventually, I'd be an adult, and I'd be an even greater threat…

"It's better this way…

"But at least my final mission was as Numbuh Eleven, and not as the evil teenager that had caused you all so much trouble."

The two hugged.

Numbuh Five turned on her communicator.

"Numbuh One?" she said. "Need pickup…"

As she put it away, a strange look crossed Cree's face.

"So, the Delightful Dorks have that hat I gave you?" she asked.

"Yeah…" muttered Five. "See, I broke into their place to swipe nacho chips, and they managed to switch it with one that had killer lice in it."

She giggled.

"It's kinda funny looking back on it…"

"You always were an overachiever…" laughed Cree. "You could have just gone to the corner deli!"

"Yeah, that's basically what I do from now on…" she replied.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Moonbase. Three days later.

Gathered in a chamber were the members of Sector V, Sector P, The Dogs of War, the Minerva Sisters, Numbuh 86, and Numbuh 362.

They were intending to do now what was interrupted a couple of weeks ago. There'd be no interruptions now, and there'd be more differences…

The victim was willing… And this time, she would be given more dignity.

"Send her in…" said Numbuh 362.

The door opened. Cree was still restrained this time, but only by simple handcuffs, and only guarded by two guards. And she wasn't as angry this time…

In fact, she seemed very relaxed.

"Well… Numbuh Eleven," said Numbuh 362. "We're gonna try this again."

Cree grinned. Choosing to address her by her Numbuh was something she didn't deserve.

"This time," said 362, "I'll grant you the right that goes to everyone who submits willingly. You may say your goodbyes…"

Cree paused.

Then she looked at everyone who had gathered.

"Everyone…" she said. "The things I did, I once thought were unforgivable. I turned on my own team. I tried to throw the Moonbase into the sun. I built the chicken pox cannon.

"And I had about fifteen more schemes planed, the details of all of which I have given to Global Command's intelligence division. I assume they are hunting down my former allies in order to stop them before they start."

Numbuh 362 nodded.

"After what I did, I wouldn't blame you if you wiped my memory and then locked me in the Arctic Base Prison for a long time. I didn't expect forgiveness…

"But you chose to give it to me…

"So once again, to every operative I've opposed, to every child who's been hurt because of my actions…

"I'm sorry…"

She nodded to Numbuh 86.

"This way…" said the Head of Decommissions.

The handcuffs were removed. Cree sat, and closed her eyes as Numbuh 86 fitted the straps into place.

Finally, Numbuh 86 threw the switch…

Everyone present expected her to scream, and to struggle against the bond. No matter how willing an operative was, it always happened. The process was simply too unpleasant. A lot of work had gone into making it painless, but so far without success.

But to their surprise, there was no scream, and no struggling. Cree's eyes remained closed, and she sat perfectly still as the energy coursed through her.

Numbuh 86 released the switch.

Numbuh Five walked up to her sister.

"Cree?" she said.

Cree slowly opened her eyes. Numbuh Five looked into them.

She smiled. For the first time in a long time…

…Cree Lincoln seemed to be at peace.

"Abby?" she said, holding her head. "Where are we?"

She paused.

"And why do you have a sword on your belt?"

"Uh… it was a souvenir from the Renaissance Fair, sis," she said. "I'll take you home. You hungry?"

"Sure," said Cree. "Pizza or Chinese?"

"Well…" said Numbuh One, "Cree is just a teenage girlnow… Her biggest concerns should be boys, shopping, and driving lessons."

"And her future isn't written," said Blossom. "Will she be courteous to children, or mean to them?"

She shook her head.

"We'll just have to see…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

The summer sun beamed down upon the city.

Cree Lincoln walked down the street, biting on an ice cream bar. She passed by a very big Treehouse, one that seemed familiar for some reason.

She kept walking, and passed by a part of the street where a group of ten-year-old girls were skipping rope.

She smiled. She stopped to watch them.

The girl skipping stumbled and stopped skipping. Then she noticed Cree.

Their eyes met, and she smiled.

She walked up to Cree. To her surprise, the girl gave her a gentle hug.

Cree wondered why this girl would hug her, but she liked the gesture. She returned the hug.

She noticed something on the girl's belt… It looked like a toy gun, shaped like a mustard bottle.

She grinned. Kids and their toys.

The girl released her and smiled again. She ran back to her friends, as Cree walked away.

**THE END**

_I hope you liked this wild ride into magic and incredible power._

_There will be no P.O.W.E.R.P.U.F.F.T.H.R.E.E., but if anyone wants to write a story that follows up on The Minerva Sisters, The Dogs of War, or Numbuh Five's alchemy powers, simply contact me for my okay. _

_Possibly, I may write another Kids Next Door fic in the future, but that would be a long way off._

_To all my loyal readers, thanks._


End file.
